Stairway to Heaven

[gweimer]

The Beatnix.  Move over Roger and the Goosebumps.

[godofthunder]

 I like it better than Zeps. version 

[drbassman]

Cool!  I like that variation.

[Highlander]

Anyone ever heard Rick Nelson's song "Promises", or Randy California's "Spirit" instrumental called "Taurus" - both predated Zep's tune iirc

[Aussie Mark]

There's an entire album of Aussie tribute bands doing Stairway to Heaven, recorded on a weekly TV show called "The Money Or The Gun".  There are probably YouTubes of the others as well.  From memory (I have the VHS tape somewhere) other bands include The Australian Doors Experience, a country and western version, an AC DC tribute, Rolf Harris playing his wobbleboard, and an actor (Leonard Teale) doing a William Shatner style recitation.  Worth Googling if you have the time and are interested in seeing more of these.

[Highlander]

Rolf Harris released it and had a No.1 hit over here... even played a festival or two... went down a storm...

[Basvarken]

Brilliantly done. Every little detail is right.

[OldManC]

Anyone ever heard Rick Nelson's song "Promises", or Randy California's "Spirit" instrumental called "Taurus" - both predated Zep's tune iirc

Haven't heard the Rick Nelson song but Taurus is pretty damning. Nothing new for Jimmy Page though...

[Highlander]

I had a live version with Randy Meisner on bass; can't miss his harmonies - it's part of a doubled up tune called "Who Cares About Tommorrow - Promises" ... the "riff" kicks in at about 3.13 but wait for the harmonies at 4.10 - always seemed like a direct lift to me, just change the lyrics and jam... found this - total surprise... see what you guys think... I don't want to knock Mr Page's writing, but...
James Burton was a Page influence and he worked with RN around this time and before, too



I thought he was a great artist that went out tragically...

This is the Spirit track - intro to "stairway" starts at 45 seconds - this was released a few years before...



Take a piece from here, take a piece from there, build yourself a stairway to be proud of... one piece at a time, to cue another classic...

[Denis]

Don't forget Zappa's version!



Or Dread Zeppelin's reggae version!

[PhilT]

I had a live version with Randy Meisner on bass; can't miss his harmonies - it's part of a doubled up tune called "Who Cares About Tommorrow - Promises" ... the "riff" kicks in at about 3.13 but wait for the harmonies at 4.10 - always seemed like a direct lift to me, just change the lyrics and jam... found this - total surprise... see what you guys think... I don't want to knock Mr Page's writing, but...
James Burton was a Page influence and he worked with RN around this time and before, too

I thought he was a great artist that went out tragically...

This is the Spirit track - intro to "stairway" starts at 45 seconds - this was released a few years before...

Take a piece from here, take a piece from there, build yourself a stairway to be proud of... one piece at a time, to cue another classic...

Interesting, though I don't think it would stand up in court     Spirit, though, great band.

[sniper]

the little Spirit interlude was nice.

Zep has yet to give a LOT of credit where credit is due. i still like them and probably always will but their big blues breakout was rooted a lot deeper than the yardbirds. IMHO.

taking it back to Leadbelly's "Squeeze My Lemon" for starters is as far back as i can go just out of memory and lets not forget Willie Dixon's "You need Love" into "Whole Lotta Love". i believe it is in the spirit of creativity that an artist can take influences from earlier works and turn them into their own...not ness copying but rearranging and presenting has always been in the forefront of performing.

there is a small write up about some of it here: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Led-Zeppelin-501/influences.htm

[jmcgliss]

Zappa for President !

[rockinrayduke]

Nothing new for Jimmy Page though

Yes, don't even get me started on "Dazed and Confused"...

[uwe]

I like it better than Zeps. version  

Me too. They've turned it into a song. Zep's original is a pretentious stranded whale to me that grates as it goes on and on and on. That's right, and I don't "remember laughter" either!