I had this idea for a thread to discuss song lyrics. I am not sure how it will work especially if we discuss multiple songs at the same time, but what the hell, lets give it a shot.
I will pick a classic that everybody likely knows: "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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 are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
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My interpretation:
In the First verse, the lady represents a naive women who believes she has it all figured out and she is buying her way into heaven by tithing her church. She believes in heaven she can have whatever she wants especially in a material sense and she is on the right path.
The Second verse I believe represents that sometimes she questions herself and her direction in life. a songbird hints that our entire perception about the world around us may be wrong.
Third Verse. I believe is about being able to sense and feel something that you can't see or touch that is out there in the etherial.
Fourth Verse
If we all call the tune and follow the whisperings of our mind, "the Piper" will lead us to see things differently. The result being that we will leave way we knew behind and live in a new bettter existence.
The drums start in the song, as does this new vision of existence.
Fifth Verse
A hedgerow is a bush, this is imagery depicting a bush shaking from the inside, but refers to wary feelings and thoughts in the mind. Don't be alarmed by these feelings and thoughts as they can be put into the proper perspective.
It's not too late to change the spiritual path that you are on. And it makes me wonder...
Sixth Verse
Lady, you are filled with confusion.
Lady, your stairway lies on something that doesn't exist.
Then, a sudden strange and abrupt change in music. The solo seems to communicate its own particular message without words. This transition seems to represent the crossing over from innocence and falling into the truth.
Final Verse
And as we wind on down the road
Our Shadows taller than our soul (Our shadows get taller as the sun is setting, so time passes)
There walks a Lady we all know of (The lady is the church)
Who shines bright light and wants to show (The church wants to sell you on how you can have it all)
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard (Listen!)
The truth will come to you at last (one's own sense of reason and truth)
When all is one and one is all (Everything is connected "etherial")
To be a rock and not to roll. (You are the rock of your own faith)
The last verse 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.
So that is my interpretation. I wished I would have picked an easier song. This song was way more difficult to try and intrepret than I had imagined it would be.
