Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven - A Classical Musician’s First Listen, Reaction, and Study

[@keymack2477]

School is in! Thank you Amy for another fascinating glimpse into how this song has been put together! I always feel much smarter after enjoying one of your music reactions and I look forward to whatever direction you take next! Thank you for your insightful reaction!!

[@spoonunit03]

...and so say all of us.👍

[@atomicwedgie8176]

In this song, the Pied Piper is Satan. Page, was deep into the occult and Crawley(Satan worshipper). Plant, is telling the listeners that you can lead a bad life, if you choose, "there's still time to change the road you're on".

[@MsAppassionata]

@@atomicwedgie8176 Who told you that the Pied Piper was supposed to represent Satan? I’ve never seen Page mention that anywhere.

[@atomicwedgie8176]

@@MsAppassionata Why would he admit it? Album sales would go way down. Page bought the home of Allister Crowley, which was a church that caught fire and burned down with the congregation still inside! Crowley was called the most evil man whoever lived and Page was a devout follower.

[@josephwright6154]

@@atomicwedgie8176 you mean crowley

[@user-ch5qd3uz3l]

"i'm beginning to realize that a lot of rock songs have this guitar solo moment" is the most precious thing I have ever heard

[@PlymouthT20]

Please have a listen to Rainbow - especially the first 3 albums.

[@chevronred]

Isn't it?! It's like someone trying dessert for the first time and saying "I'm beginning to realize that a lot of cupcakes have this frosting part" It's like... YES! THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST PARTS! ISN'T IT WONDERFUL!??

[@SecretSpots]

What a glorious moment!

[@riukrobu]

I really loved that!

[@rubenvalencia7959]

yes indeed, my heart melted after hearing that one! Great commentary, on a great musical masterpiece. I'm now a subscriber!

[@UriahBennett]

This woman is an absolute treasure she must be protected at all cost.

[@nigel900]

She really should gut out of her protective cocoon and listen to what’s been playing for more than 50 DAMN YEARS! For the love of God… she’s a “music teacher!” Pitiful…

[@simoneric8183]

Absolutely.

[@georgewachsmuth9201]

I totally agree!

[@Davelakful]

Agree

[@alonenjersey]

You got that right. A damn shame I didn't have someone exactly like her when I suffered through music class in my final year of Jr. High.

[@incamoran9532]

Listening to Stairway to Heaven during a thunderstorm is an old rocker's idea of bliss.

[@raven_of_zoso455]

When I'm high and listening to the intro, I vision myself in the medieval highlands, in the tall grass outside a tall castle wall. It's a nice sunny day, the warmest day of summer, I'm fooling around with a young lass, with fair hair and milk-white skin. As the song progresses, I find myself accepted into an ancient coven of occultists and witches. The rite of passage for joining their black magic circle, I have to get anointed through a blood ceremony, (the ceremony happens during the fanfare bit right before the solo) then finish by drinking a magical potion that makes me trip balls and learn the mysteries of the universe, death, hell, the ether and the wire. (The solo itself). By the last verse, I have transcended and transformed. I hold the sacred knowledge of necromancy, a harvester of souls, and a bringer of life. I passed all seven dimentions of spectral philosophy. I have now earned the price of entering Heaven.

[@00wn]

OK...that was the best analysis of this song I have ever been lucky enough to witness. Two thoughts ~ #1 - Amy Shafer is the only person on planet Earth, who has permission to pause a guitar solo. # 2 - When Virgin Rock hits 10,000 subscribers, Amy Shafer must play Stairway To Heaven on the harp in its entirety. Brilliant, Amy...absolutely brilliant!!

[@richardj9016]

Oh, number 1 is hard to agree to, but number 2 makes it an overall Yes

[@VirginRock]

1. Why thank you for the absolution of my sins! Lol. (But really, I think I’ll eventually get to the point that I can find better places to pause and still be able to express myself, but not cause such pain and agony.) 2. I’ll think about it!

[@00wn]

@@VirginRock 😀

[@MarcelVolker]

I think it's safe to say that 10k subscribers is going to happen very very soon 😊

[@ssm445]

If Amy goes for "Comfortably numb" and interrupts the solos, I 'd be genuinely angry though 😄

[@palorius]

"There was no shock of the transition because it happened so smoothly up to that point ... that when it came it belonged, but at the same time it was unexpected. "- What wonderful praise from one professional to another and only another musician could express it so eloquently.

[@traveltrailer7018]

As some one who has listened to this song since the 70’s, the entry of the electric guitar triggers a nostalgia that I cannot explain.

[@davidhanson8681]

This is a song most rock fans have overheard to the point of not hearing at all. You brought it to life again for me.

[@gordonthomas4292]

I too have heard it many, many times. But the 1st few notes of Jimmy Pages' lead riff still put the hairs up on my neck

[@Brian-wq3qh]

One thing I've noticed with reaction/analysis of Led Zeppelin music is that very few reviewers mention the drumming of John Bonham. His drumming is used as an actual instrument not just as a means of keeping the rhythm. He is, in my humble opinion, the greatest rock drummer of all time if not greatest in any style.

[@22nola]

My thoughts as well. Bonham’s drums drive most of their work and adds so much depth and interest.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Ok, but does that really matter anymore how he is rated.

[@Trippin369]

Drummers are almost always unseen. Despite the incredible gifts they are blessed with.

[@louierivera7512]

Agreed 100%

[@annika8207]

@@Trippin369Agree completely! Have since the pandemic starting to listen to the dums more specific! ”Discovered” so far: * Michael Shrieve (Santana) * Per Lindvall (ABBA, A-ha) * Ola Brunkert (ABBA, etc) * Jeff Procario (TOTO) * Micky Dee (Motörhead) * Dennis Byron (BeeGees) * John JR Robinson (Lionel Richie, David Lee Roth, Michel Jackson, We are the world * John (Bonzo) Bonham (Led Zeppelin) * Billy Cobham (jazz) * Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds) * Buddy Rich (jazz/storband) * Eric Carr (Kizz) * Albert (Al) Jackson Jr (BookerT MGs, Stax) * Larry Mullen (U2) * Roger Taylor (Queen) * Laust Sonne (D.A.D.) * Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, mm) * Senri Kawaguchi (young Japaneese) And I’m keep looking!😉

[@dondebomm6329]

One can not dismiss the musical influence of John Paul Jones on all Zeppelin's songs.

[@michaelheller8841]

JPJ and Bonham were the backbone of Led Zep no doubt. There Rhythms put a charge to their music. Not to take away anything Plant and Page did, they did a little too lol.

[@zeppelinfan9360]

@@michaelheller8841 Zeppelin doesn't work if you remove "ANY" of the four! I hope there's clarification 😁 🎸☮️💕

[@michaelheller8841]

@@zeppelinfan9360 I was being sarcastic lol. Most people talk about Plant and Page. In some cases John Bingham being the best drummer. A lot of people don’t talk about JPJ. It is true all 4 made the magic.

[@michaelheller8841]

Bonham meant, freaking typo

[@josephlinnell9855]

JPJ. THE SILENT ASSASSIN

[@contucker9413]

How fortunate that these four musical geniuses were not only born as contemporaries but also that they found each other.

[@midi510]

I consider it one of God's gifts to us. I consider music on the whole as a gift of God to me/us. I don't think I would have survived past my teenage years without music.

[@guzmanbriozzo3178]

Si, responde a un momento histórico y un entorno que lo fomentó, por eso hoy en día es más difícil que se dé, por lo menos a ese nivel.

[@musicforge14]

Get lost conman Tucker Carlson!

[@simoneric8183]

What a better definition of the miraclulous existence of Led Zep music than the one you just gave us !

[@simoneric8183]

It makes me feel like wanting to do some research on this topic.

[@Scoobydcs]

Page plays guitar like it's a voice talking to you. Robert uses his voice like and instrument. The combination is sublime

[@PhilPage227]

Very well put my friend.

[@Daniel-Strain]

Yes! I've always thought that the call and response of the two guitars from 12:15 to 12:35 (of this video) sounded like two people having a conversation or debate over the paths of virtue and vice, with each argument being answered by the one trying to convince his friend that "there is still time to change the road you're on".

[@dianecourtney2724]

Great comment

[@ronaldchives2486]

Spirit

[@lisapriebe7729]

THIS.

[@infodotwtf]

This should be a show on PBS. I dig it.

[@TheEsteban1979]

This woman is magical. I could listen to her for hours. God blessed her with amazing skills.

[@Tranderson02]

Come for the reaction, stay for the education! You are a gem.

[@charlesblakely1634]

I just discovered Virgin Rock and I'm entranced by Amy's spirit, her intelligence, her passion, and on and on...This is some of the best stuff I've discovered on KZbin. Keep it up, Amy!

[@robertfmorton]

Amy. Please! Don't ever change the way you present your analysis videos. As a 75 year old who grew up with the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the rest, you explain why I was hooked from the start. You always entertain AND inform. I learn SO much. From this retired teacher, you are the best! (P.S., I would love you to look at Pink Floyd's 'Animals' album. My favorite).

[@kylben]

I love the thunder coming through your mic. Even the sky can't help rocking out to Led Zeppelin.

[@DavidAntrobus]

I like to think that was Bonzo reminding us he existed, as if we need reminding.

[@davidsender7479]

Has anyone else noticed the live thunder outside during this... It's makes it absolutely magical !

[@fidobite3798]

You really have to wonder what planet this nice lady grew up on! It's fascinating to see and hear her reaction to perhaps the best known rock recording in 50+ years and she seems to have never before heard it!

[@ItIsRan]

I suppose she's not a rock fan, i bet she knows it exists and have listened to a glimpse of it before but never listened to it in it's whole

[@adamw13]

She did say that it's so iconic, even she heard of it, but never listened

[@bohbro]

There is also quite a lot of iconic non rock music that a lot of zep fans have never listened to.

[@MattiasHedlund-s6r]

Wow 😂 musician? Is she? ....

[@thomascordery7951]

​@@MattiasHedlund-s6r Very much so.

[@katyareads221]

At the Kennedy Honors this song was done with an orchestra, rock band and full choir....worth the listen.

[@menaceren]

Thank you for that!

[@GeographRick]

I love that version.

[@muzik4machines]

came here to say that, epic performance

[@rogerthomas169]

Heart did it and it was in front of the three remaining led zeppelin members, one of the top musical moments in tv history

[@richardpare3538]

@@rogerthomas169 You meant the 3 remaining members!

[@davidcardoso3525]

My Mother was a Classically trained musician who had little, if any, time in her life for rock music. I talked her into listening to Stairway & her immediate comment was that it had a "wonderful shape".

[@ruraljuror1734]

That’s utterly beautiful! 💜

[@davidellinsworth22]

I'd have paid good money to see her reaction

[@blackbob3358]

Was she just patronising you, mr Cardoso, or what ? ( or just her way of telling you to shut up ! )

[@davidellinsworth22]

@@blackbob3358 any need for that comment?

[@ryanbotha9775]

Poor stunted creature she must have been..

[@scottanderson7412]

I lost a lady friend in 2001 or so, and I was a truck driver at the time when I got to my truck and started the truck, and made my safety check then got back in the truck, exactly when I shut the door to start driving Stairway to Heaven came on the radio, and I started balling my eyes out because I just found out a few hours prior that she past away, and from that moment on I have dedicated that song to her. Her name was Donna Webb, and she died at 48 to do being a heavy drinker, and smoker, and I really enjoyed listening to you going through and explaining the song in more detail. I'm a new subscriber to you, and this is my 3rd time watching you do a reaction, and you have done all of them very nicely. I'm glad I have come across your channel. Thanks again for doing what you do beautiful one.

[@steveryan1799]

Hey Scott, nice tribute to your friend.

[@jerrycunningham1820]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[@nickmcginley4570]

I have been listening to this song for about 50 years, and I still listen very carefully every time I hear it, and always discover some new emotional content each time.

[@realnewswithleeleffingwell9475]

100%!!!

[@artistjoh]

I'm with you on that journey. I bought IV the day it hit the stores.

[@jeffburkholder202]

When the song first came out. As it was played over-and-over on FM radio. I was so bored with it then because it was played so much. Now nearly 50 yrs later I now do love it.

[@justmeonly986]

Watching you is like watching our child's 1st trip to the candy store. We relive our love for this music that we grew up with and which shaped our lives, through you.

[@frankolivito9242]

this was one of the first rock songs that pyramided slowly steadily to a super crescendo.every band after that was inspired by this song

[@anicecupoftea8303]

Genesis-Firth of Fifth. The piano intro and guitar solo are highlights of a fantastic song. One of my favourites.

[@LuisMotrel]

Yes please!

[@nanskate]

I agree. One of my favorite progressive Rock songs. But don't forget about the flute.

[@MDElam]

Yes: "Firth of Fifth" (or "Cinema Show" or "Supper's Ready")!

[@AndrewMoore58]

That is an amazing and very special song. One of Tony Banks best piano compositions. I hope Amy does that song.

[@ryanwebb6356]

Jason Becker, 18 years old he could write and play stuff that would shock Paganini with its virtuosity.

[@rodolfito5555]

Life is divided into two parts, one before and one after having heard this song for the first time.

[@frankolivito9242]

thank you!you picked up on their Celtic and old English feels in their songs ,number 1 rock song of all time!!!

I love when people like you are using the internet right: sharing and transmitting Culture and knowledge. The web is worth it thanks to you! One of my favorite compositors is also using repetition to build different tensions, E. Grieg with "In the lair of the mountain king" or "Ase's death" in the Peer Gynt suite.

[@midkingsteve]

Yes! Next you must do their song "kashmir". Another epic song but this time in harmonic minor. And featuring both a full symohonic orchestra and a melotron! Very cinematic.

[@cjwagner1]

If you do "kashmir" you might want to also check out the "live from celebration day" video of it on youtube. It is an excellent live version of it in my humble opition. It is from a tribute concert they did in 2007. They had disbanded in 1980 after their drummer John Bonham died. They got back together for this concert with John's son filling in on drums. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJO9pWpjiZ2igrs.

[@JohnSmith-pn1kq]

With the amount of times she stopped this song, imagine how many times she will stop Caroselambra. Probably every 5 seconds

[@Zoso352]

@@JohnSmith-pn1kq Hah! Brilliant!

[@theStacyJames]

Listen, pause at the right times, and then speak. This is a masterpiece. Don't interrupt the music at inappropriate times

[@PeterBuwen]

Your harp play of Stairway to heaven was very beautiful. I wished you could play a whole harp cover of the song. 🙃

[@robertvirnig42]

Here is a masterful version from the harp twins. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIaahXeFqcurqtU

[@grandtheftmanualv945]

Seconded!

[@richardj9016]

Required

[@pekfake]

Yes please

[@erelster]

When the channel hits 10k subs, she’s doing it.

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

I'd never heard rock music critiqued quite like this, and now I have a new way of thinking about Stairway to Heaven. Thank you for the research and preparation.

[@klausschneider1045]

One of the finest details in this song is the way the intersections between verses each are shifting the mood to higher levels. Great songwriting.

[@decodynamo]

Pleasantly startling and assumption-defying that there's someone like you in the Western world who had never heard this song! Watching your reactions as it proceeded was vicariously gratifying and helped me rediscover it for myself, in a way, having likely heard it hundreds? of times. Since I want to round out my musical appreciation and expand my boundaries, your eloquent analysis has filled my sails with a breath of fresh air. Thanks, Amy!

[@paulburke9198]

have to agree Dynamo arts , I've heard this so often ,woudn't have mattered if I never heard it again but this little music lesson has "refreshed" the experience so now I'm no longer "sick of hearing" what is indeed a little bit of rock brilliance so thanks for that Amy Shafer , 🎼🎶💖.

[@zebratroopfan6695]

It is amazing how must of us live in self created bubbles. I recently met a guy who had never heard of the Eagles. I thought he was joking but he had never heard of them. He lived and worked in a world that just didn’t listen to this type of music. His bubble of church, work, and friends just didn’t listen to it. He was equally shocked I wasn’t familiar with Frankie Beverly or Lakeside. These bands although not as popular to the general public were very popular in his world.

[@kelvincook4246]

@@zebratroopfan6695 I love Led Zeppelin's music, but talking about the bubbles that people exist in, I've been surprised by the number of people who don't know that Zeppelin was inspired by blues musicians like Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon. Who probably also inspired groups like Lakeside.

[@JohnProph]

forget Led Zep....she said she never heard any Beatles songs!!! lol

[@kelvincook4246]

@@JohnProph About 30 years ago or so, I was standing in a check out line in front of two teen girls. They were looking at a People magazine that had Paul McCartney on the cover. And one of the girls said to the other, "... you know he was in a band before Wings." Niether of them seemed to actually know about the Beatles. After I picked my jaw off the floor, I asked what planet they were from. They laughed at me. Felt old then, and I'm really old now.

[@zamdrist]

What a gift it is to witness a person experiencing this song for the first time. So cool!

[@nothanks5549]

Amy’s shared experience is as good as the music. Delightful.

[@FearlessRefactoring]

wow. when you first played it on the harp I broke into a huge smile. I could listen to that all day. It sounds fantastic.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

I hope she plays more harp too.

[@oscarlinebaugh8930]

The Harp Twins did this on their harps. It sounds great on the harp.

[@richardb6260]

The surviving members of Led Zeppelin were honored at the Kennedy Center in 2012. Nancy Wilson of the rock group Heart performed a spectacular version of Stairway to Heaven that's well worth seeing.

[@Hundhammer]

yes, I suggested that to her (and the Zappa version...) in the comments to he announcing video... well worth!

[@LeeKennison]

Like Dominik, I also mentioned this performance in the announcement video. I hope Amy will be able to view this for her own enjoyment. It will allow her to see a more recent interpretation by Anne and Nancy Wilson, along with band, orchestra, and choir. I have watched this performance many times, and I always have an emotional response to it. Particularly with the surviving members clearly enjoying the performance as they watch. It is outstanding!

[@lyndoncmp5751]

They needed the population of a small country to pull that off. Zeppelin just had three musicians and a singer.

[@davecollins6113]

First time I heard it, was when it was just released, and it struck me as a really beautiful and powerful piece of music, loved how it progressed and built. The other Zepplin favorite of mine is No Quarter on the live album, in that one, the guitar work just speaks to me.

[@lashutterbug]

How remarkable that you mentioned Bolero at 29:45, because Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck played together on a track called "Beck's Bolero" in 1967. That track also included John Entwistle and Keith Moon of the Who. And Page himself would revisit that sound by including a "Bolero" solo in the first part of "How Many More Times" on Led Zeppelin's first album in 1968.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Becks Bolero. I forgot about that one, it perfectly illustrates this concept. Good call.

[@HabaneroTi]

When Amy said that it reminded her of a classical piece, I thought of some of Ravel's contemporaries like Debussy and Satie, so I "sort of" had it. 😀

[@lyndoncmp5751]

I believe it was John Paul Jones, not John Entwistle. So half of the future Led Zeppelin. 👍

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@lyndoncmp5751 talking about future zeppelin, I listened to a Yardbirds live bootleg that got uploaded yesterday called Live in New York 1968 and there is a song called “White Summer” which is Jimmy Page playing solo and you can hear him go through some future zeppelin stuff. Whole album is great.

[@philjones6054]

Very good point you've made.

[@george93308]

Probably the most iconic guitar solo of all time. At least for us old folks. Watching young people listen to songs we've known for decades is a bit surreal. Hope you enjoy our generation's music.

[@JS-TexanJeff]

I've been listening to this song since ~1982. Definitely 100's if not 1000's of times. You analyzed and expressed more than I've absorbed in just a couple days listening. Amazing. Thank you.

[@AndrewLakeUK]

I've listened to this song for most of my life. It has moved from tedious rock song to great monuments music. "He sounds so lonely" is a new take but so true.

[@outsidethewall8488]

Plant is also a massive Tolkien fan and this comes through in small lyrical references throughout his career . In this piece some read the line about the lady thinking all that glitters is gold as a shakespeare reference but I read it as a Tolkien reference (all that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost etc.) Then in the Battle of Evermore he refers to the ringwraiths riding in black and in Ramble On he mentions Gollum and the darkest depths of Mordor- plus the name of the song Misty Mountain Hop is an obvious ode to The Hobbit. Just thought i'd add this on the off chance you or anyone else here is also a Tolkien fan :) *Edited to correct minor errors pointed out in my replies - thank you to those people*

[@szeleddie]

What do mean he "was" a Tolkien fan??? He still is!!! Once you are fan of Tolkien you always be!!!

[@johnfarley4492]

One ring to rule them all...(Clerks)

[@julianavery963]

He is from Middle Earth, of course!!

[@mrjules1982]

"There's a feeling I get, when I look to the West, and my spirit is crying for leaving" Always felt to me as a reference to Valinor.

[@jrwalker591]

"Ramble On" he mentions Gollum and Mordor... :)

[@privateislandice]

Her reaction to Plant's voice after the guitar solo was great!

[@sourisvoleur4854]

This is the apotheosis of what a music reaction channel can do. Beyond "I really like it," you have actually given us new ideas and tools for enjoying the song. Thank you!

[@tubewayarmy2]

Your musical ear is far more intricate than most people, which makes your 'reactions' much more interesting as each song is a musical book of analysis. You are my favorite 'reaction video' author.

[@joef5708]

There is something to be said for formal education too.

[@nathandougherty7058]

The difference is that this KZbinr has such a detailed understanding of her subject, that a first listen awakens many ideas within her that she can share with us.. bridges to other concepts that an average, enthusiast might not quite grasp. Much more compelling than most reaction videos. I'm learning so much about so many great pieces of music from her. Addictive!

[@MDBowron]

to me the song is like moving through a spectrum, from celtic/folk/classical/renaissance music in the beginning through to hard heavy metal rock at the end.

[@joeb4142]

Ooooh Amy you are such a gift to the KZbin reaction/analysis community! Thank you so much for all the time you spend making these videos as well as your knowledge, experience and wonderful teaching ability. ❤️

[@midkingsteve]

This was honestly one of the best song reviews I've ever seen. Brava. 👏👏👏👏

[@grandtheftmanualv945]

Check out the early videos, luckily there's not many yet, but all of equal quality!

[@HollowGolem]

I love that "Stairway" is basically "what happens if you sustain a crescendo throughout an entire song." It just keeps building. Sometimes by adding volume (the switch from acoustic to electric, for instance), sometimes by adding parts (vocals and drums have staggered entries throughout the first half of the song) and then once the volume is maxed, we increase tempo, especially in the solo, and then almost crash back down to the recapitulation at the end. "And she's buyin' the stairway..."

[@coot1925]

Thank you Amy. The British voice of Robert Plant is probably responsible for that Celtic feel. The recorders (not flutes) also add to the feel. In the 50 years of being a rock musician I've met a lot of classical musicians and unfortunately most of them are unable to appreciate rock, but you really get it. Music is an art form which is based on feelings and emotions and not necessarily about precision or skill. Whenever I write an instrumental it's always influenced by my surroundings and how I feel at the time. Your rendition on the harp almost made me cry, what a beautiful instrument.

[@redpine8665]

Well, the raw track was composed in the Welsh countryside. That's pretty damn Celtic.

[@coot1925]

@@redpine8665 Oh definitely. When you listen to someone like Bjork or Aurora you can almost taste the air of their atmosphere. Most of my compositions have a coastal feel....Cornwall and south coast of Britain.

[@MartinMcMartin]

These break downs amaze me, simple elements which I have heard, but not recognized the significance. Loving this channel and not at all surprised how quickly it is growing.

[@danceswithcritters]

Yes, exactly! "How naturally and seamlessly it progresses. So well balanced you hardly notice what is being done in that moment, the shift happens almost imperceptibly, and our awareness of it comes after it has already taken place". Brilliant articulation by this lovely young lady.

[@rogeremmerson]

Your Ravel 'Bolero' connection is fascinating in that Page recorded a version of it with Jeff Beck entitled 'Beck's Bolero'. Thanks, as always, for your thoughtful and thought-provoking analysis.

[@KabobHope]

The "Bolero" connection is interesting. "Kashmir" is even more "Bolero"-inspired with its building toward climax. She really makes me really see the song with fresh ears.

[@boki1693]

I literally just stumbled upon this as I watched this. I knew about the Beck song but had no idea Page and Jones played on it.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@boki1693 I think Moon is on drums too.

[@vangrod8510]

"Beck's Bolero" is based on Ravel's rhythm but is otherwise original, and the landmark recording session that produced the track was the first step towards formation of Led Zeppelin, famously named in sarcasm concerning the group's future by Keith Moon, who did the drumming.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@vangrod8510 you’re right, it is Becks Bolero not Ravels Bolero. What a fantastic riff

[@richardventus1875]

It's so wonderful to see someone really 'in tune' with the beauty and virtuosity of Led Zep's music. I don't believe it has been surpassed ever since it was released.

[@rogermarcoux8029]

I am a senior citizen and grew up in the those amazing times of Rock expression. Of course Zep and Floyd were part of my youth. However, my love of all music forms, most definitely include these classics. I just wanted to say thank you for your lovely analysis of Stairway. I learned to fall in love with it yet again. Merci

[@davidsthubbins176]

"Stairway" sounds BEAUTIFUL on your harp. I'm sure we'd all love to hear you play it in its entirety.

[@danielmarone5757]

Thank you for reacting to my music I really appreciate that Robert Nigel back many years

[@sanzalure6091]

I first clicked to view your reaction to Pink Floyd's « Hey you ». Which led me to this reaction to Led Zeppelin's « Stairway to Heaven ». You have a new subscriber. I have watched a lot of reaction videos by many musicians but very few of them give the lyrics as much attention as you do. And what you say makes sense to me. Thank you! My generation, we did not write many books, or movies. But we did write a lot of songs. That's where our message is shared.

[@r1p2m32]

Good heavens, thank you! Queen, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin... Is there a limit to your bravery? Please continue!

[@stevedahlberg8680]

I'm so blown away by playing those two different lines together and demonstrating how they are related. I'm a composer myself and I love that kind of stuff but for whatever reasons, I never made that connection before in this song. Partly because I encountered it when I was very young and would just crank it and go nuts, laugh. Anyway, that is fantastic.

[@toniyoung5131]

I clicked on this so quickly I stubbed my finger ;). I'd be fascinated to hear what you think of Kashmir, or The Rain Song.

[@joeloedeman5160]

Kashmir AND The Rain Song ;)

[@midkingsteve]

The rain song! Oh my gosh yes!

[@bananapuddingpop3867]

It can't be said enough, this is the greatest rock song ever written. Led Zeppelin, in my opinion, is the greatest band in rock history. (The Beatles are the most important) But Zeppelin is the greatest. They don't have a bad album. They rarely have a weak song on any of their albums. They are the rare band that was always at their peak no matter where they were in their history. You'll be getting a list a mile long of what to listen to next from them. The answer is simply yes....listen to any of their songs. But for me you know the true greatness of a song by listening to a cover. Look for Heart playing Stairway at the Kennedy Center Honors where they were honoring Led Zeppelin. And look at the teary eyed reactions of these once rock gods and now old men as they listen to someone masterfully play their greatest song. It's beautiful to watch Plant react to his own music. We all learn listening to anything by them, but if you must try Kashmire or Babe I'm Gonna Leave You for sure.

[@Ninjametal]

I love Led Zeppelin, and agree for the most part. I suggest the "CODA" album is crap, but I still think Zeppelin is the greatest rock band.

[@joescott8877]

From now on, I will adopt your description of Zeppelin = "greatest" (I often also say "best") but recognizing The Beatles as "most important." I think that's inarguable. I used to try to express that by saying Beatles= "greatest," but I think "most important" (or "influential" if you like) is the better choice. I also nominate "Bron-Yr-Aur," "In The Light," and "Achilles last Stand" for examples of Zep's range and structural complexities for this expert to analyze.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Ramble on.

[@rov3r698]

As she said “masterpiece “

[@coyote4237]

Totally agree with you.

[@Audey]

You speaking about the way the song builds called to mind imagery of a plant growing, with a beautiful blooming flower as the climax.

[@gsparkman]

In music reactions, the left arrow button is the reactor's best friend. Each tap of the key will "rewind" the music back exactly 10 seconds. Using it creates an overlap of the original stopping point, providing a continuity of the song's progression. Comes in especially helpful when the song is abruptly stopped in the middle a word the singer happens to be singing at the time.

[@Greg-om2hb]

Yes, indeed

[@BenC460]

It's actually 5 seconds but yes it does help the music to flow better when pausing.

[@hadz8671]

@@BenC460 - Interesting. Only now do I notice that left-arrow goes back 5s whereas J goes back 10s.

[@muratomar6502]

Wow, useful information!

[@anthonyv6962]

I would have to agree.

[@Davey-Boyd]

Amy, that was incredible. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on these masterpieces, while also teaching us some musical wisdom along the way. I really can't wait to see where you go next with this! And you are right, 'Stairway' fits the harp perfectly!

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

If Amy was around when Zeppelin made this album they would have her playing on this song.

[@catsara9114]

One of the most beautiful songs ever, and also one of the most epic buildups in a song ever!

[@chrisdavies3049]

What a wonderful reaction. My mother was a classically trained pianist and music teacher. She was 91 when she passed. When I spoke at her funeral, I stated that my mother had taught me to have an interest in all types of music. Nothing should be out of bounds. It's nice to see you doing the same.

[@standandeliver8376]

"I'm beginning to notice that a lot of rock songs have this sort of guitar solo moment". Yep, we live and die for the guitar solo moments! 😁

[@bobmcculley4785]

Thank you for your wonderful exploration of one of my most favorite songs. I found your first listen bringing a tear.

[@jamescooper2618]

One of my favorite things about this song is the way it builds throughout the song and then quickly diminishes to nothing.

[@rickmoyer9983]

Rather akin to life, eh?

[@ostflut]

I honestly love the way Amy Shafer is deep diving into the songs she's reacting to. For someone like me, who started composing as hobby during the pandemic and never had the chance to study music, it's a marvelous way to learn how songs I love were written.

[@1492dt]

To me, the electric guitar solo on this the all time perfect solo, expressing, captivating, and succinct, so well stated. The first time I heard it, and everything afterward , through present, just grabs me! The whole, song is actually a seemingly perfect masterpiece!

[@mirkotc67]

Dear Amy, I am a music lover. The first musical experience that I remember clearly, is listening to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with my grandfather, when I was 7/8 years old. Over the years I got more into rock music, specially from the late 60s and 70s, and I always felt a little bit ashamed of liking this music. Due to the admiration to classical music that my grandfather had taught to me, perhaps. But at the same time, I felt that some rock songs that I liked went well beyond the genre limits and could be considered a sort of contemporary classical music. I tried to learn to play the guitar for a couple of years but, after being diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease, I was no longer able to achieve the required coordination and flexibility on my hands and fingers. After watching your videos (small musical masterclasses in my opinion), first experiencing and later analysing a couple of my most beloved songs (Love of my Life and Stairway to Heaven), I finally understood why I like them and the pleasure I feel after listening to them again, even after all these years. These are delicately crafted masterpieces that are essentially as timeless as Beethoven's compositions. Finally, I loved your comparison between Ravel's Bolero and Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven. Ravel's Bolero was another of my grandfather's favourite pieces, and after your clever idea of relating it to Led Zeppelin work, I now understand why I enjoy both. Keep on with this work, it's a pleasure watching you going through music, exposing those minute details and nuances that we non classical trained music lovers enjoy but cannot fully explain or realize. Cheers!!!

[@PartTimeJedi]

I first heard this at my cousins house when I was 12-13 back in the early 1980s... He put it on the record player and put the big headphones on me.. I swear it was like going on a magical journey.. One of those moments that stick with you for the rest of your life...

[@Alchemistic88]

Every member of Led Zeppelin has a crazy amount of talent right from the beginning. It makes sense that they could produce such timeless classics

[@maryadamec124]

Oh Amy, how I wish you had been my music teacher... maybe I would still be playing today, since I always dreamed of being a concert clarinetist in a large orchestra.... your analysis of music is just stunning, and yes, "Bolero" was one of my favorite pieces, along with "Flight of the Bumblebee." It's no wonder your channel is growing by leaps and bounds, since there has never been a reactor quite so dedicated to the music and its nuances of clarity and emotion... brilliant observations! Please do more Queen, say "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Millionaire's Waltz" or "Dreamer's Ball" or "The Prophet's Song" or "Innuendo"... all are wonderful songs. Congratulations on your new-found success as a KZbinr and please keep up the excellent work! Blessings.

[@maryadamec124]

@Cinder Man Thanks for the enthusiasm, but at age 70, I think my "playing" days are over, just content to enjoy reactors educating the newer generations of musicians... since Queen is the BEST by far, I can never go wrong listening to legends... blessings my friend.

[@VirginRock]

I have a Harp student around your age. As long as we breathe and still move around, it’s not too late to pick up an instrument!

[@SealedKiller]

​@@maryadamec124 I find Queen to be a good mix of rock, baroque, classical, metal (while still not sounding how you'd expect metal to sound). As a guitarist I can say sometimes Brian May's playing is sometimes very baroque like. It sometimes reminds me Vivaldi and his concerto in D major for lute. Of course he has his bluesy runs and licks but doesn't rely on them at all and rarely actually uses them unless he's improvising the solo. I also read somewhere that he writes solos on paper rather than playing on the guitar as it makes him fall back to patterns that he can play and aren't original.

[@GeoffGummer]

You, dear lady, are wonderful. You bring such light to music that we've loved since the day it was released, and cause us to love it again anew, in a different way. Thank you.

[@cjo2012]

I can only merely attempt to share with you what you just made me re-experience. I tell you with, not trying to sound poetic, but with sincerity from my very heart and soul, that after over 45 years of this song being etched into the deepest fiber of my being, through you, gentle and perceptive teacher, I actually experieced all it's emotions as if for the very first time today. I'm 58, loving it since I was 12 or so. Through you I heard it afresh and wept THREE times. As a kid I called it 'The Sacred Song', but I really had no idea why. I knew nothing about Celtic music or mysticism or even metaphor, only how it made me FEEL. Over the decades I became a rock guitarist and singer. I currently am the singer in an occassionally performing Led Zeppelin 'tribute' band. I, unlike Plant, never tire of it. But I understand because I HEARD it hundreds of times, not performed it hundreds of times. I gleaned insights into it over YEARS and years. YOU did in DAYS. The only insight I know is my own is the materialism vs. timeless spirituality one. And again, I had been loving it for over 20 years when I realized that. The fact that it has LAYERED multi-meaning only hit me, again, much later. And things like the gradual overall tempo increase required Page himself to reveal. And not until this very DAY, 2/18/23, did I realize, through you, that there's this incidental CHRONOLOGICAL progression from Medieval to Modern, or from the Classical to Modern time era through the instrumentation. But on the spiritual and emotional side, I have long since been enduring a bit of identity crisis and some depression. By hearing dear Stairway as though for the first time all over again by watching your reaction, and your comments in your listening section about the bare honesty of emotion in the vocal (the FIRST time I teared up) downstream to the 'haunting, lonely vocal', I, in some mysterious way, am reminded of WHO AND WHAT I AM. ...And I have you to thank for it. I'm not a lost loser, I'm a musician and a spiritual seeker. I take things Zeppelin personally, so your beautiful compliments as to the tenderness of the vocal for instance, made me smile deep down inside and made me wish Robert were sitting beside me so I can elbow him in the ribs.☺️ You are a credit to music in general and I can't thank you enough for this in particular. Bless your heart. The forest again, echoes with laughter.🙏😌🙏

[@urimaginarystar]

Very well said. I’m 56 and was probably a preteen when I first heard Stairway to Heaven. I never get sick of it, and each time I listen, I discover new depths and meaning in the song.

[@simonsaunders8147]

'Stairway To Heaven' is one of the top two "rock" songs ever written. It shares the top two spot with Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. That has to be a must do for you as it is a mix of rock and classical music both of which Freddie Mercury absolutely loved. Top work, m'dear!

[@tektoniks_architects]

This was an extraordinary breakdown....thank you. It's interesting you made a comparison to Ravel's Bolero. Jimmy Page, who composed the music for Stairway, is a musical scholar. Prior to forming Led Zeppelin, he was the most accomplished session musician in London in the early/mid 1960's, and he played on hundreds of songs, everything from Petula Clark's "Downtown" to Tom Jones'It's Not Unusual, to the soundtrack to the James Bond film "Goldfinger." Jimmy often played bits of Chopin in live shows during his playing of his composition, "White Summer." Jimmy is a musical genius, well versed in all musical genres. Prior to forming Led Zeppelin, he collaborated with his friend, guitarist Jeff Beck, on a contemporary"rock take" on Ravel's Bolero which was called: "Beck's Bolero," which he co-wrote. Very impressive work....thank you.

[@josbruls]

I was saw in interview with Jimmy Page in which he said that the score of this song came befóre the lyrics and that he and Robert Plant had to think up the lyrics afterwards.

[@tektoniks_architects]

@@josbruls Jimmy wrote about 90% of Zeppelin's music (not lyrics), and the music always came before the lyrics.

[@67Zink]

Fantastic review The song that you can listen to 100,000Xs and still listen one more time.

[@davidcurtiswatts2378]

What a beautiful and refreshing change to the kind of material I usually watch on KZbin. You made a subscriber out of me.

[@neccron9956]

At the time of this song, Plant was into Celtic Mysticism, so that is why this song has a strong Celtic tone to it.

[@jamespurcer3730]

The line, "...to be a rock, and not to roll." is a reference to the trope "A rolling stone gathers no moss." This is a metaphor for "if you don't produce, you are finished."

[@Greg-om2hb]

I’ve been listening to this song for 45 years, but you have given me new insight. Thank you for making the connection to Bolero. You might be interested in listening to their third album, Led Zeppelin III, as it is filled with acoustic numbers that draw deeply ton Celtic music traditions, much to the dismay of fans upon its release. I would like you to see how guitars solos can be more than a cadenza that gives the guitarist a chance to show off. As Page demonstrates here, a memorable solo is truly lyrical. He makes his guitar sing in a way that complements the instrument of Plant’s voice. As you listen to more songs, please consider what makes each solo is a unique, personal expression of the individual guitarist. I read in a Plant interview that he does not consider himself to be a good lyricist and not to take his lyrics too seriously. There is no deep meaning to this song; he just rattled off strings of words that gave him something to sing along with the music. Although Heavy Metal comprises many musical influences, the bands Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple are the three pillars upon which the genre was built. I encourage you to dig into each of their catalogs.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

“Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult has a guitar solo for the bridge so it’s given its own complete musical section to amazing effect. That song is also like a bolero with the guitar solo as the liberating force. Amy’s ability see these themes so quickly is amazing

[@ruipereira2180]

The 3 pillars were built on top of the Steppenwolf foundation. ;-)

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@ruipereira2180 and Mountain.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Zeppelin have nothing to do with Sabbath and Purple. Zeppelins peers were The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Floyd. I dislike them being lumped into the metal bracket with Sabbath and Purple. Stairway is certainly not metal.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@lyndoncmp5751 none of those bands like being labeled heavy metal or proto metal. They described themselves as Hard Rock. Music critics and record marketeers love making labels and genres.

[@rickpalacio7]

This was delightful. I especially loved the part where you compared the song to Ravel's "Bolero" from the perspective of both pieces using some of the same techniques to achieve goals that are actually opposite from each other and both pieces succeeding brilliantly with the same tool box. What I appreciate more and more from your channel is the way that the analysis of the techniques, construction, and, shall I say, "strategies" that musical artists employ can so intimately reflect the content and emotional message they're communicating. It's quite a beautiful illustration of the concepts of "form and content" that are part of all of the arts. Very enjoyable. Thank you!

[@pauldouglas9999]

Wait until she listens to “Kashmir”

[@ruraljuror1734]

So gorgeously stated!

[@rickpalacio7]

@@pauldouglas9999 Yes! That's definitely a glorious showcase for repetition in music.

[@robertspitz9832]

Wonderful memories of listening to this with my girlfriend in the winter of '72.

[@stevejoshua9536]

I didn't think I would stay for the entire lesson, but the video came to an end, and I found myself still hanging on your every word. Thank you so much, Amy, for your wonderful insights and sensitivity.

[@lbh002]

I am not sure if our hostess and teacher Amy is ready for Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, but I look forward to her reaction and study of that bit of fun chaos.

[@GerhardStängl-u8y]

Thank you. Now, at least, I realise why our amateur band could not copy it to our satisfaction althoug we worked on it over one year. It was in the mid 7o-ties,

[@41Forethought]

A quite insightful analysis of a rock classic - very well done, Amy!! I'd love to watch and listen to you and Rick Beato, a music professor, producer, musician and fellow KZbinr, analyze a rock classic together! 💕

[@phuzeewuzee654]

I couldn't agree more ... would love to see her and Rick riffing on classics. That sounds like it would be absolutely decadent.

[@marcondespaulo]

That would be a nice conversation!

[@lbd-po7cl]

Wonderful analysis and interpretation. Another major influence on Robert Plant at the time was Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and many of his songs are riddled with imagery inspired by that work (“rings of smoke through the trees” and “a feeling I get when I look to the west”). Another song on this album, The Battle of Evermore, is even more explicit, and more stylistic of folk song, and even features a duet with Sandy Denny, lead singer of the folk-rock band Fairport Convention, who were also recording in the studios at the same time. Palmer is a big fan of Fairport and other folk music, so no surprise you can hear the influences here. LZ have such a broad variety of musical styles and influences, including R&B and Delta blues, Celtic and other folk styles, as well as Indian/South Asian (the song Kashmir is one to listen to). Keep up the great work. I look forward to finding out what your next song will be!

[@KHallesy]

Your reactions are wonderful! These are my favorite songs from high school in the 70's!

[@radone5896]

A very noticeable part of Led Zeppelin is how the drummer John Bonham adds fills in off beat places that other drummers wouldn't and Page sometimes plays in seemingly different time signatures than Bonham yet they always end up together as if they have some weird mental time lock. I would highly suggest listening to "The Rain Song" which is actually their most beautiful ballad which has a gorgeous orchestration to it. Lovely to see that a classical musician can love and appreciate a rock band instead of just dismissing the genre, sadly too many rock lovers fail to listen to great classical music that would greatly enrich their lives.

[@rob7953]

I would absolutely love to hear her impression of this song!

[@zosomoso]

100% agree on the Rain Song. Most beautiful chord progression ever imo.

[@VGKDean]

I mentioned The Rain Song too. It’s one of my favorites.

[@pinball1970]

Not really, he was not jazz or syncopated. Bonham was straight rock. His feel was another planet and his combinations very powerful, between his BD, snare and Tom. Hard to imitate if you naturally lead with a different hand like me.

[@pinball1970]

When the drums came in you should have let that part have a chance to breathe with you

[@Gary_M]

If you want to hear the "build" of this song intensified in an amazing way, you must check out the cover by the band Heart when they honored LZ at the Kennedy Center. Choirs, orchestra, it's awesome.

[@lennypersonalized]

I always think of an enchanted forest listening to the first half of this song. Especially when he sings the forest will echo with laughter. Very celtic indeed.

[@Scoobydcs]

The thing with zeppelin is that all 4 members are equally amazing musicians, there is no stand out member!!