Too many songs to choose from really but choose I must and chose I did.
Last week our pub quiz theme was the 1970s and so I researched the music although as I really I did live through the 70s, it didn’t take much research. There were quite a few trips down memory lane. My other team members each took a subject to study too. Everything from 1970s movie lines, to NZ history, sports and worldwide events. I listened and watched lots and lots of ’70s music videos.
And I rediscovered “Stairway to Heaven”. Although originally recorded by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield in 1960, I decided that Led Zeppelin’s famous rendition was my absolute favourite version. Recorded in 1971 and described as “progressive rock folk rock hard rock“, it is over 8 minutes long. To me, it epitomised the 1970s music. I listened to this so many times. I read the lyrics and and sang along to the youtube video.
“Why is the song ‘Stairway to Heaven’ so popular? Instrumentally it is a real gem. Obviously great guitar solo but also intricate layers of gradual build up. Kind of hypnotic in the beginning and middle then progresses to an intensely hard rock. The song is basically just about shallow materialism and greed.”
I also rediscovered Pink Floyd -Dark Side of the Moon – especially the “Eclipse ‘ track- and I’m not going to lie – the choice was difficult. However as my middle son had ‘acquired’ my Pink Floyd CDs when he went off to study, I didn’t get to listen to them very often.
Then came time to select some images that illustrated the sentiments. I took inspiration from my own Lady Aurora images as well as some old travel images of the glittering gold images in the altars of centuries-old churches.
"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 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.

And it 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 is one and one is all, that's what it is To be a rock and not to roll, oh yeah......

Jimmy Page- By Jim Summaria, http://www.jimsummariaphoto.com/ ] Jimmy Page used a double-necked guitar to perform “Stairway to Heaven” live.
"And she's buying a stairway to heaven...."

And that pub quiz? Our team rocked the answers and won by a huge margin!
If you want to check out the music video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbhCPt6PZIU
Hi Liana, I barely found this, not linked to my post… But I’m glad I did, I really like what you did with the song and the images to go along with it. And there is a stairway at the end 🙂 A great classic rock song.
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Oops. I can’t have linked it correctly. Thanks for finding it though. And your kind comments.
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