This may be similar to others' interpretations (with like 10 pages of them, I can't be sure I've read them all). I think I'm just pulling from my own thoughts and imagination and stuff. Trying to make sense in my head of something that probably defies one single explanation.
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
The Catholic Church of the middle ages was given to selling indulgences, commonly perceived to allow the faithful to buy out (through monetary donations to the Church) of purgatory time for themselves or loved ones and into Heaven.
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
I'm thinking that the "sign on the wall" could also be the writing on the wall, perhaps biblical in nature, that can be interpreted in many ways. It makes lots of folks wonder about it.
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
The coming of the Enlightenment - the mass exodus from the Church (as well as other established institutions) and its teachings and rites?
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.
It makes me wonder.
A musing in particular about the election of the pope and the signal of such by means of smoke - and its effect on the masses.....
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.
Again about enlightenment, about the replacement of Church teachings and superstition with Man's own ability to reason.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
The second part of the stanza as a direct address to the Lady (the Church) as a warning that Her time is about to end, it's about to be blown away with the winds of time.
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all is one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven....
To me this is a plea to look beyond the Lady (Church) to one's own sense of reason and morality to get to some higher place - "the tune will come to you at last" and you'll be the "rock" of your own faith, of your own reason,(as Jesus' claim to Peter) and not depend upon any other earthly entity to inform you of right and wrong.
It's unclear if 'the Lady' is the individual or the Church. Robert Plant has always been reluctant to say exactly what the lyrics mean, but prefers to leave this as an existential piece where each of of us find his or her own meaning in it. I would like to believe it reflects how early Christianity defined heaven; rejecting the material and finding spiritual peace by living in perfect union with each other and God
It's unclear if 'the Lady' is the individual or the Church. Robert Plant has always been reluctant to say exactly what the lyrics mean, but prefers to leave this as an existential piece where each of of us find his or her own meaning in it. I would like to believe it reflects how early Christianity defined heaven; rejecting the material and finding spiritual peace by living in perfect union with each other and God
This may be similar to others' interpretations (with like 10 pages of them, I can't be sure I've read them all). I think I'm just pulling from my own thoughts and imagination and stuff. Trying to make sense in my head of something that probably defies one single explanation.
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold And she's buying a stairway to heaven. When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed With a word she can get what she came for. Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
The Catholic Church of the middle ages was given to selling indulgences, commonly perceived to allow the faithful to buy out (through monetary donations to the Church) of purgatory time for themselves or loved ones and into Heaven.
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure 'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings, Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven. Ooh, it makes me wonder, Ooh, it makes me wonder.
I'm thinking that the "sign on the wall" could also be the writing on the wall, perhaps biblical in nature, that can be interpreted in many ways. It makes lots of folks wonder about it.
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, And my spirit is crying for leaving. In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees, And the voices of those who stand looking. Ooh, it makes me wonder, Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
The coming of the Enlightenment - the mass exodus from the Church (as well as other established institutions) and its teachings and rites?
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees, And the voices of those who stand looking. It makes me wonder.
A musing in particular about the election of the pope and the signal of such by means of smoke - and its effect on the masses.....
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune Then the piper will lead us to reason. And a new day will dawn for those who stand long And the forests will echo with laughter.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, It's just a spring clean for the May queen. Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run There's still time to change the road you're on. And it makes me wonder.
Again about enlightenment, about the replacement of Church teachings and superstition with Man's own ability to reason.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know, The piper's calling you to join him, Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
The second part of the stanza as a direct address to the Lady (the Church) as a warning that Her time is about to end, it's about to be blown away with the winds of time.
And as we wind on down the road Our shadows taller than our soul. There walks a lady we all know Who shines white light and wants to show How everything still turns to gold. And if you listen very hard The tune will come to you at last. When all is one and one is all To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven....
To me this is a plea to look beyond the Lady (Church) to one's own sense of reason and morality to get to some higher place - "the tune will come to you at last" and you'll be the "rock" of your own faith, of your own reason,(as Jesus' claim to Peter) and not depend upon any other earthly entity to inform you of right and wrong.
This is sheer brilliance.
This is sheer brilliance.
Sola Scriptura! Long live the Reformation. Wish I had had this insight.
Sola Scriptura! Long live the Reformation. Wish I had had this insight.
God Bless you.
God Bless you.
excellent analysis! I'm VERY impressed. :)
excellent analysis! I'm VERY impressed. :)
No...100% wrong. Plant has explained it many times. It has nothing to do with religion. It's about greed and disrespect for the planet
No...100% wrong. Plant has explained it many times. It has nothing to do with religion. It's about greed and disrespect for the planet
It's unclear if 'the Lady' is the individual or the Church. Robert Plant has always been reluctant to say exactly what the lyrics mean, but prefers to leave this as an existential piece where each of of us find his or her own meaning in it. I would like to believe it reflects how early Christianity defined heaven; rejecting the material and finding spiritual peace by living in perfect union with each other and God
It's unclear if 'the Lady' is the individual or the Church. Robert Plant has always been reluctant to say exactly what the lyrics mean, but prefers to leave this as an existential piece where each of of us find his or her own meaning in it. I would like to believe it reflects how early Christianity defined heaven; rejecting the material and finding spiritual peace by living in perfect union with each other and God
Why have dissenting opinions by others been flagged?
Why have dissenting opinions by others been flagged?
The analysis is flawed but thought provoking.
The analysis is flawed but thought provoking.
@42 steps that’s quite a biased one sided version of the reformation
@42 steps that’s quite a biased one sided version of the reformation
@Ragdoll2004 Yeah? You think? Go read my interpretation of Along Comes Mary, that should really run afoul of your approval.
@Ragdoll2004 Yeah? You think? Go read my interpretation of Along Comes Mary, that should really run afoul of your approval.