Words by Riley Fitzgerald
Graphic by Press

“Of course, it was a good song,” former Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant tells his host while talking to podcast Ultimate Classic Rock Nights.

“The construction of [‘Stairway To Heaven‘], the actual musical construction is very, very good,” he then adds. “It’s one of those moments that really can stand without a vocal – and, in fact, it will stand again without a vocal, I’m sure, because it’s a fine, fine piece of music.”

“Lyrically,” Plant interjects, “I can’t relate to it, because it was so long ago… I would have no intention ever to write along those abstract lines anymore.”

(An interesting statement given Plant’s revisited similarly mystical themes on 2017 album Carry Fire.)

“I look at it and I tip my hat to it, and I think there are parts of it that are incredible,” Rob continues. “The way that Jimmy [Page] took the music through, and the way that the drums reached almost climaxed and then continued. … It’s a very beautiful piece. But lyrically, now, and even vocally, I go, ‘I’m not sure about that.’”

While Plant, who has not performed the song since Led Zeppelin’s 2007 reunion concerts, may not be too big of a fan of ‘Stairway’ he has recently expressed a fondness for another Led Zeppelin IV era song, ‘The Battle Of Evermore‘ in his own podcast Digging Deep.