The Led Zeppelin song that divided the band

Every self-titled album by Led Zeppelin felt like an advancement. Jimmy Page spent his early career playing the heaviest blues he could think of. Zeppelin’s knack for different styles of rock and roll led to them exploring new sonic depths that no one had considered. Critics may have been critical of Zeppelin’s songwriting at first. But their fourth album was when they truly emerged as rock and roll superstars.

Zeppelin deliver a smorgasbord of everything that made them unique in just eight tracks. It’s from the stunning riff in ‘Black Dog‘ to the reckless abandon behind ‘Rock and Roll’. ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is the song that best captures the power of Led Zeppelin.

Page’s song began as a small suite and would become synonymous with 1970s rock and roll. They took the listener on an eight-minute musical journey. The band will probably never outrun the everlasting glow of their classic hit. But not every member feels the same way about their most famous song.

In Classic Rock Stories, John Paul Jones described the song as “one of the ultimate examples of the band at their best”. He said, “I like ‘Stairway.'” I know it’s corny, but it encompasses many of the band’s elements, from the acoustic start to the slightly jazzier section. And then to the heavier stuff near the end.”

But, from the moment he began working on the song, Robert Plant became dissatisfied with it. He admitted, “I truly loathed it.” We used to rehearse ‘Stairway’ as a reggae song because Page couldn’t get me to sing it otherwise.”

Page was still proud of the song. He tells Legendary Rock Songs that it “showed us at our very best.” For what it’s worth, Plant was aware that he was taking part in something one-of-a-kind, recalling the writing sessions. “My hand was writing the words out. I just sat there staring at them, almost leaping out of my seat.”

Plant grew increasingly dissatisfied with the song, as it became more popular as a modern classic. Even it bane of many guitar store employees’ existence. Even after the band was dismissed after John Bonham’s death, there was a slim chance that this song would appear on any Plant setlist. It was because Plant stated that he would break out in hives if he had to sing it again.

However, it’s easy to see why Plant is so hostile to the song these days. Plant is a vastly different man than the young kid who wrote the lyrics about a lady who believes all that glitters is gold after making various creative leaps in his solo career. Plant’s dislike for his signature song may be one of the reasons why a full reunion tour isn’t in the works.

Regardless of what Plant thinks of it now, Page regards the song as a watershed moment in rock and roll history. He stated, “Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something that will hold up for a long time.” We did it with ‘Stairway’.”