Stairway to Heaven, Best rock song?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of whether Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is the best rock song, exploring various opinions on iconic rock songs and artists. Participants share their personal favorites and engage in a broader conversation about rock music from different eras and styles.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that "Stairway to Heaven" is the best rock song ever, citing its timelessness.
  • Others express preferences for different songs, such as "Battle of Evermore" and tracks from Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," indicating a range of opinions on what constitutes the best rock song.
  • Several participants mention other artists and songs, including John Lennon’s "Mother," Boston's "More than a Feeling," and various works by Alan Parsons and Matchbox 20.
  • There is a discussion about the reversed lyrics of "Stairway to Heaven," with some participants suggesting it contains hidden messages, while others view this as open to interpretation.
  • Some participants highlight the lack of top ten hits for Led Zeppelin despite their reputation as one of the greatest bands, raising questions about commercial success versus artistic merit.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best rock song, with multiple competing views and personal preferences expressed throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific albums and songs without providing detailed context or definitions, leading to potential misunderstandings about the music discussed.

  • #31
baffledMatt said:
Yes, but who in their right mind would ever dream of buying only one Zeppelin album?!

True. They have tons of great songs and it's impossible to say who's the better.

baffledMatt said:
and if you are going to get just one it should be physical graffiti :-p

nononoooo, Led Zeppelin I or III.
 
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  • #32
If we're talking Led Zepplin, how about "No Quarter"?
 
  • #33
pace said:
nononoooo, Led Zeppelin I or III.

III definitely, but you can live without Led Zep I for at least a little while.
 
  • #34
i_wish_i_was_smart said:
funny how Led Zeplin has never had one top ten hit on bilboard, or any chart, yet today they are considered the best band of all time. for me i can not give anyone the tittle of best band ever since there are so many of them
It's because they did not play "Top 40's" music. Their songs were considered too long and some were too suggestive. They weren't played on the "pop" radio stations, which back then mostly played what was termed "bubblegum" music aka mindless cr@p. Led Zepelin was part of the underground (alternative) music movement and they were played by underground radio stations.
 
  • #35
Wasn't "Stairway to Heaven" in the top ten? I heard a lot of Zepplin on the regular rock station here in DC in the '70's. They owe a lot to the old American bluesmen, who got little of the money or credit.
 
  • #36
Led Zep Rocks - Kashmir, Stairway, Imm. song, Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Evermore (could go on) come to mind immediately
I thought No Quarter was okay...but not anywhere near Graffiti or IV

Also like ...The Who, Floyd, Cream, Doors, Tull, Dire Straits, Beatles, Hendrix, Queen, Purple, Dead, the Stones, CCR, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, Clapton, Janis Joplin, Blue Oyster Cult, Sabbath, Ozzy, Santana, CSNY, Eagles, Jeff. Airplane, the Boss, Frampton, Supertramp, the Kinks, Dylan, U2, Cheap Trick, Fl. Mac, El. John and much much more...
 
  • #37
Dagenais said:
Barenaked Ladies are a great rock band. They are one of the most popular Canadian bands.

They do alternative rock, but fans say they do geek rock.

They have some very catchy tunes.
LONG LIVE CANADA,

most good rock bands are Canadian nowadays anyways
 
  • #38
Evo said:
It's because they did not play "Top 40's" music. Their songs were considered too long and some were too suggestive. They weren't played on the "pop" radio stations, which back then mostly played what was termed "bubblegum" music aka mindless cr@p. Led Zepelin was part of the underground (alternative) music movement and they were played by underground radio stations.
i know, but to not be reconized back then and now getting all that best band thingymagigs is still quite amazing, unheard of for any other band
 
  • #39
oh Led Zep was quite the recognized back then too, from america to germany, but it took some years into the seventees before they were really heard of. When the physical graffiti record came if I remember correctly.
 
  • #40
i_wish_i_was_smart said:
LONG LIVE CANADA,

most good rock bands are Canadian nowadays anyways

Hmm, all I can think of is Bryan Adams and Celine Dion...

Matt
 
  • #41
baffledMatt said:
Hmm, all I can think of is Bryan Adams and Celine Dion...

Matt

...and Alanis !
 
  • #42
baffledMatt said:
Hmm, all I can think of is Bryan Adams and Celine Dion...

Matt


All I can think of now is South Park - The Movie :biggrin:
 
  • #43
One...two...three...

# Blame Canada! #

:wink:
 
  • #44
Is Celine Dion really considered a Rock-N-Roll artist? :confused:
 
  • #45
Joanie Mitchell, Rush, Gordon Lightfoot, The Guess Who, Neil Young - all Canadian?
 
  • #46
Hmmm...forgot about Rush.

Didn't know Neil Young was Canadian. Then surely, Lynyrd Skynyrd's pissed-off-ness is understandable.
 
  • #47
lets not forget, our lady peace, sum 41, avril lavigne, default, theory of a dead man, nikel back, finger eleven, the stills, out of your mouth, Billy Talent, Bachman turner overdrive, danko jones, simple plan, fefe dobson, sam roberts, and much more
 
Last edited:
  • #48
sum 41, nikel back and avril lavigne are not things to be proud of!

Matt
 
  • #49
and neither is danko jones
 
  • #50
BTO is okay, though !
 
  • #51
Perhaps not the best rock song of the history, but one of my favourites is "The final countdown", of the group Europe
 
  • #52
Gokul43201 said:
Hmmm...forgot about Rush.

Didn't know Neil Young was Canadian. Then surely, Lynyrd Skynyrd's pissed-off-ness is understandable.

"Lynyrd Skynyrd'' was a gym coach [I had him in 8 grade]
the boys named the band after him to piss him off
boy was he a jerk!

BTW a great rock stream site for underground/garage
Hippie music, Underground, 60's punk, Flower Power, Mod, Free-Form-Freak-out, Garage music, Psychedelia or Teen Beat, the weirdest, the worst, the most powerful and nastiest ever recorded.
http://www.beyondthebeatgeneration.com/
 
  • #53
ray b said:
"Lynyrd Skynyrd'' was a gym coach [I had him in 8 grade]
[/url]

I thought his name was Leonard, or something like that...?!
 
  • #54
Gokul43201 said:
I thought his name was Leonard, or something like that...?!

yes [quickie cut and paste] the band mis-spelled the coach's name
 
  • #55
I love the new blink 182 song... "Hello there, the angel from my nighmare ..blahblahblha" very nice.
 
  • #56
"You remember Leonard Skinner - he got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner." Alan Sherman, Camp Grenada
 
  • #57
LOL - I remember that song well, Loren.
 
  • #58
baffledMatt said:
sum 41, nikel back and avril lavigne are not things to be proud of!

Matt
never said i was, i was just stating that they were in fact, Canadian, which supports that's most rock bands nowadays are Canadian
 
  • #59
hypnagogue said:
How about Down by the River by Neil Young? Who else can craft a kick ass riff using only one note?

Or for a more offbeat candidate, Venus in Furs by The Velvet Underground. Also partial to Black by Pearl Jam and Where I End and You Begin by Radiohead.


Those are great choices!
 
  • #60
Thought of this thread while hearing Aerosmith's version of "Train Kept a Rollin'" on the radio tonight. And did it ever!
 

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