Listener-supported — Commercial-free
share
tweet
Comments (27)add comment
Love Led Zep, hate Stairway. Black Dog/Rock and Roll for the win, but this bites.
In memory of Mr. John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham.
** 10 **
Tizmself wrote:
make it $.04, i saw LZ in the Garden (NYC, man) i went with a buddy of mine, we may have been the only two black guys inthe place, the guy sitting behind us, was so startled at see "two brothers" at a rock show, that he first offered us his jack daniels, then his pot, and finally some coke...thanks but no thanks, i turned around in the middle of the show, and he was totally zonked....guess the drugs finally got to him!
Just to put my $.02 in, I went to the concert for this tour in Pittsburgh. As LA said, Led Zep was/is not a note perfect band, however, anyone who went to one of their shows and listened to the raw energy, the Bonham drive, will never forget it. Unless of course the drugs finally got to you.... 
make it $.04, i saw LZ in the Garden (NYC, man) i went with a buddy of mine, we may have been the only two black guys inthe place, the guy sitting behind us, was so startled at see "two brothers" at a rock show, that he first offered us his jack daniels, then his pot, and finally some coke...thanks but no thanks, i turned around in the middle of the show, and he was totally zonked....guess the drugs finally got to him!
why not the original version on radio paradise. Sometimes i don't understand the choice of music here
Sounds like the song is done at the last evening of a tour that lasted much too long. Plant's silly asides like "and now the good news" and "hope so", only make things worse and show he's fed up(?).
The song itself remains a winner though.
Originally Posted by jonleehacker:
it's an automatic channel changer for me - I've heard it enough for 10 lifetimes 
DITTO! 
Not one of their best efforts, neither live or studio version. I think you would have had to be at the concert to fully appreciate this one. Besides it\'s probably missing all the backwards satanistic messages.
By the bands own account, most of this show was pretty lousy. And 20+ years later, it still sounds pretty bad.
If you must play Stairway, play the studio version or if it\'s on the BBC collection, try that version. 
it\'s an automatic channel changer for me - I\'ve heard it enough for 10 lifetimes
Frightening flashbacks to highschool dances.Originally Posted by LAfadeaway:
I think the "over-exposure" argument against this song is somewhat generational. I say this b/c as a thirtysomething fan, I haven't really heard this song on the radio that much. It might have been overplayed in the 70s and early 80s, but since then I, personally have heard the song on the radio less than a dozen times over 15 yrs.
Also, my generation were less radio-oriented than past generations. With the advent of portable music (first cassette tapes and then CDs, MDs and Mp3s), me and my fellow Xers probably listened to commercial radio a lot less frequently than our predecessors. Thus, with the exception of Aerosmith and Boston, I have been "burned out" on very few artists or popular songs, including "Stairway".
As a "40-something" and others of my generation can attest to, Stairway was played at least daily for quite a long time.
I\'ll say it again - good song - LOUSY version
remember liking this as a teenager. now, as soon as i hear the first few notes, i feel revulsion. i am still a fan of the group (attended zeppelin concert 30+ years ago), but radio over exposure (and perhaps a more refined ear for music) ruined this song for me a long time ago.
No matter how good this song may be, for me it falls into the category of \"songs that I have heard far too many times\". I have heard versions by other artists that are enjoyable because they approach the song differently but everytime I hear Led Zep\'s version my eyes just glaze over.
love it love it love it love it!
gives me chills to hear this version again. :D
Does anybody remember how NOT to take themselves so seriously? :roll:
Just to put my $.02 in, I went to the concert for this tour in Pittsburgh. As LA said, Led Zep was/is not a note perfect band, however, anyone who went to one of their shows and listened to the raw energy, the Bonham drive, will never forget it. Unless of course the drugs finally got to you....
Originally Posted by LAfadeaway:
What could one expect from an indie-loving "holier than thou" listenership?? I cannot believe I have just read such venomous comments about such a stellar song. I am getting fed up with the "if the song is popular, it must be crap" groupthink that infects this station.
Stairway is a beautiful song and this is a fact that is undeniable. The live version has so much energy and character that it always makes me smile. Zeppelin were not a note perfect live band and that is part of their magnetic charm. There are probably better live versions of this song floating around out there (particularly from their 1970 US tour), but I'll take this one over the boring pathetic indie crap that dominates the playlist any day.
BRAVO to Rebecca for having the guts to risk the ire of the anti-establishment listenership by playing this song.
I am not one of those indie-loving "holier than thou" listenership you are refering to. I grew up listening to KWST, KMET and KLOS and every single time the song came on the radio I changed the channel. When other Zep songs came on the radio I would listen. When Fleetwood Mac came out with "Rumors" and all you heard on the radio was "Don't Stop" and "Go Your Own Way" I could not stand them either, but now when I listen to them I can appreciate their music, I have grown to like other Zep songs but I can't say the same about Stairway. As I said before the song is a big piece of crap and is not worth the vinyl it was pressed on.In my opinion, the worst possible version of a great song. The \"Does anybody remember laughter\" bit makes me cringe.
On the song itself, this is the only song I can think of that I know exactly where I was, the first time I heard it. Yes, it\'s overplayed, but the song was transcendent when it was released.
Plant\'s vocals are at least distinctive, but the rest of it sounds like a bunch of kids practicing in a garage. This is the best live take they had for the CD? I guess it made a ton of money, but, wow...
As I slip slowly into insanity, I find this song still playing and playing and playing. What is it? Did it get infected by the Energizer Bunny?
KevinM put my thoughts to words so eloquently that I needn\'t repeat him....
I loathe this piece of crap. I hated it the first time I ever heard it, and I hate it today.
Sucko-Barfo is too good for this one, give it a minus 50.
Hmm, about a year ago I said even Stairway had a place on RP. Bill replied words to the effect of \"No Stairway!\" I\'m glad he relented. Overplayed? Possibly, but that does not make it intrisicly a worse song.
Think I prefer the album version though.