Song Meaning, Analysis, Background: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin

ARTIST: Led Zeppelin | ALBUM: Led Zeppelin IV | RELEASED: 1971

"Stairway to Heaven" is the highlight of Led Zeppelin IV

Here we go. This is the song that most of you've waiting for. Hopefully I won't screw this up terribly. "Stairway to Heaven" was written by the rock duo of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Rumour ( actually it's a fact ) has it that Plant wrote the initial bits of lyrics while listening to Page's guitar chords. The lyrics were of course written out of spontaneity.

Song Meaning + Background: Going to California by Led Zeppelin

ARTIST: led zeppelin | ALBUM: led zeppelin iv | RELEASED: 1971

"Going to California" from Led Zeppelin IV

"Going to California" is about Robert Plant's post-teenage years when he was going through some identity crisis. The song is also based on the lives of his fellow bandmates as well.

Robert  Plant was just twenty years old when was auditioned by Jimmy Page, who was just four years senior, for New Yard Birds which eventually became Led Zeppelin.

Touring with Led Zeppelin on the road for young Plant was a new experience. For the first time he was dealing with drugs and groupies, and slowly adopting a rock n' roll lifestyle.

"Going to California" was released after a few years of forming Led Zeppelin, and it was written from the songwriter's point of view - reflecting on his old days on the road. Jimmy Page also contributed to the lyrics.

Let me know what you think of the song in the comments section.

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Spent my days with a woman unkind, Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.
Made up my mind to make a new start, Going To California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me there's a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.
Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let them tell you that they're all the same.
The sea was red and the sky was grey, wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today.
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
as the children of the sun began to awake.

Seems that the wrath of the Gods
Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow;
I think I might be sinking.
Throw me a line if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path
Runs straight and high.

To find a queen without a king,
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings... la la la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.

Lyrics from: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ledzeppelin/goingtocalifornia.html

Song Meaning: Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin

 

An iconic hard rock song by Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love" was a must at every party in the 1970s. It was Zeppelin's first hit in the US, and brought them into the mainstream rock n' roll movement. It was mixed with "light and shade", as it's the case with many Zeppelin song that would eventually be released later on. The easily recognizable guitar riff is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the history of hard rock. John Bonham's drumming is simply perfect. The mid section of the song consists with a "hollow grove" put together by Bonzo and bassist John Paul Johns, departing from the distorted guitar riff earlier.