Favourite Stairway
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Topic: Favourite Stairway
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Subject: Favourite Stairway
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 08:17
Is it not possible to create polls in the Prog Related section? I wanted to start this there, but there isn't a "New Poll" section. Anyway, this poll is about a prog song  This is a chronology of all the official releases of Stairway to Heaven made by Led Zeppelin (no covers allowed), inspired by Pekka's "Comfortably Numb" poll. Pick your favourite! PS I'm not aware of any other official release, but if there is one, please correct me!  |
Replies:
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 08:21
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Studio version is perfection in my opinion. "Rain Song" got better live. I don't think Stairway ever did. ------------- |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 08:30
Actually the studio version is the least interesting one for me right now. The live versions all add so much more to it! Even the 1975 version, which is IMO inferiour to the studio version, is more interesting for me because it's different  The 1971 live version has a lovely brevity which I appreciate a lot, and I can't think of something special to say about the 1972 version (other that it's a part of an otherwise absolutely impeccable album). My vote goes to the 1973 version, because it's richest musically, with its potential explored more than anywhere else, because Robert's voice is more than perfect (despite the fact that for most of the rest of the concert an annoying hoarseness spoils his vocals for me), and because it contains my favourite rock guitar solo of all time. Actually, I find this performance the top moment of rock culture ever.  |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 08:36
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Different isn't necessarily better, though I can see why it's interesting. But then I have the same feelings over the Wall. Everyone thinks the live Wall is so much better than the studio version, I totally disagree. To each his/her own!
------------- |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 08:52
The BBC version. I used to listen to that album while playing Leisure Suit Larry 2. 
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Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 08:52
Seconded  . Another song that really got a kick from being played live was "No Quarter" - the studio version is good, but not as amazing as the live ones. "Stairway", on the other hand, does not really gain a whole lot in any of the live versions I've heard. Just my opinion, of course. |
Finnforest wrote:Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:02
Yes! "No Quarter" is another that just got amazing on SRtS. As did SRtS! The version of SRtS that dives into Rain Song is amazing. Those 3 are some of my fave live Zep moments. ------------- |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:20
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Form this list the BBC version.
But i voted for other: the Dublin 1971 version.
 -------------  |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:35
Zappa's version 
Seriously, the studio version for me is perfect.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:47
I'm surprised to see the studio version leading by such a large margin, especially when most of the reviews of the album mention how overplaying/overhearing this song have made them (the reviewers) feel very little for it.  Myself I'm not the typical music fan, in my "ideology" the recording is only a small part in the life cicle of a piece of music. I usually prefer live albums and I'm an avid concert goer. This fits well with my love for the Zepp, such a prototypical live band. For me, most of their material sounds better live. Speaking of the Rain Song, how about The Song Remains The Same (the song)? The combo on TSRTS (the album) is mindblowing. Speaking of No Quarter, the live version from the 1975 Earl's Court concert is one of the most amazing piece of prog performances I've ever heard, up there with Echoes from Live In Pompeii or Solar Music Live. Too bad it wasn't published on the recent DVD (which features a good chunk of that particular concert). |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:50
Yes, I can barely listen to the song, but I can fairly admit that that version is the best, in my opinion.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:52
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Yeah, but I wanted this poll to be about the favourite version, the one that provides you the best experience.
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Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:55
And yes, for me that's the studio version.
I know, what I said earlier, should correct it. I mean, I can't stand my friends playing the intro with the guitar all the time, but after all this is the case where the best version is also my favorite.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 09:56
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^ Cool
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Posted By: dedokras
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 10:47
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The 1973 version is the best for me, this concert also has my favourite versions of TSRTS, Rain Song and No Quarter - a great band at their peak and touring their best album.
------------- http://mlyk.bandcamp.com/ |
Posted By: LiquidEternity
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 12:27
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The Best Band You've Never Heard in Your Life. Zappa's way more inventive with their tune than they are.
------------- 
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 12:51
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Zappa's on The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life. I wouldn't diss Led's versions though. Not bad for a song that got so much airplay. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 13:56
| I don't really listen to LZ much anymore, but I think the studio version is the best. The acoustic guitars add in a lot in my opinion, as do the multiple recorders in the intro. Plus Zeppelin was so damn messy live. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 14:09
| ^ It's the same guitar, just tuned down (or how does one say that). |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 14:23
I've heard at least one version of Zappa's, and I enjoyed it more than Zeppelin's, but that's just a matter of taste. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 14:27
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What? I'm talking about how the studio version has various simultaneous electrics and acoustics. Page played Stairway live with the double neck SG, which never appeared on the album up through IV most certainly. I believe it appeared on only one studio song...on..Physical Graffiti maybe? It's been a long time
EDIT: And since somebody pointed it out, I agree that Zappa's is superior, but it's not really an option here, Okay, this is moving much faster than the average topics here, that was in response to "it's the same guitar, just tuned down"
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 14:46
| ^ Most the stuff that only "sounds" acoustic (except for the truly acoustic tracks like Battle Of Evermore, Gallows' Pole, Bron-Y-Aur, That's The Way, Going To California, etc.) is just the electric guitar un-plugged or whatever is the correct term. Of course this is all coming from my ear and intuition, I've never read anything about it. Seems like I'll have to, in order to get my facts straight. |
Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 15:05
| I'm trying to refrain from posting Venetian Snares' cover of Stairway. |
Posted By: halabalushindigus
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 16:15
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I like the Live version from "The Song Remains The Same" where Plant says "does anybody remember laughter" and the ending where he goes, AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH Wo-oo wo-oo ------------- assume the power 1586/14.3 |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 16:17
Please do. It won't get in the poll so why not |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 16:23
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The Song Remains The Same hands down, especially due to Page's absolutely mindblowing solo.
------------- 
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Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 16:24
Okay. You asked for it.  |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 16:35
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I'll go with the studio version as well. Depending on the day, I still consider Stairway to Heaven to be my all time favorite song, although some days that title goes to Tom Sawyer. My favorite Led Zeppelin song however is Kashmir. Only in my crazy mixed up world.
Going back to the discussion on No Quarter, I really like the version that Plant and Page came up with their world music versions of Zeppelin songs. ------------- 
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 16:46
Finally a man of good tastes! 
That was... interesting. Thanks for sharing. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: March 01 2010 at 22:22
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From what I remember of hearing this song live a few times, I really liked better the studio version. But I'm far from having heard them all. The flute thing just doesn't soud well enough, and though they may have extended guitar solos at the end, in this case I felt the way it was originally released worked better. About what I've read here from No Quarter live, I would be interesed to listen to that one. I really love that song, but the live version I heard by Page & Plant on 1994 did nothing for me, the song was totally spoiled (even though I really liked the rest of the album / DVD). |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 13:43
| Plus JPJ would play that cheesy sounding synth live. I wouldn't mind hearing an earlier one with the mellotron, but you still have to deal with Page's sloppiness, |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 13:50
| ^ all the live version I listed are impeccable and there's nothing sloppy on them (albeit they do differ) |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 15:50
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I always regarded Zep as a far better studio band than live one, so the original for me.
------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: mohaveman
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 16:13
| Original studio version |
Posted By: JLocke
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 16:43
 I'd go all up-and-down HER stairway!
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 17:12
| ^ Isn't that from Leisure Suit Larry 1 though? |
Posted By: JLocke
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 17:45
Oh, hush, and just enjoy my little joke. 
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Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 19:50
 This one. It doesn't necessarily go anywhere, but it's still so well done! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 22:26
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With Zep, I prefer the original studio version. However there is a remarkable non-Zep version with which many of us are familiar that ain't too shabby. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3Ue3ncH3g - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3Ue3ncH3g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3Ue3ncH3g - ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: JLocke
Date Posted: March 02 2010 at 23:18
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^ Could've gone my whole life without seeing/hearing that.
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Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 12:27
i disagree. Page is a mess live
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Posted By: halabalushindigus
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 12:54
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..."Page is a mess live"... I can't believe somebody actually had to guts to say it. ...but it's tru. ------------- assume the power 1586/14.3 |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 14:04
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Not a mess but a bit sloppy yes ------------- |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 14:36
I've said it many a time. He was. Seeing them at Knebworth, as I've said on a separate thread, was one of the biggest disappointments of my life, and the soundtrack to the film The song Remains The Same is absolutely appalling. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: Abstrakt
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 15:30
A little sloppy maybe, but far from a bad live guitarrist!  |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 18:34
That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about a few selected performances. Have you heard them? They are impeccable. And different. Which is why I like them all. |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 21:47
------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: JLocke
Date Posted: March 03 2010 at 22:23
I might be more open to those. I know it's prudish of me, but I don't think songs as classic as that one need to be covered, because they ALWAYS disappoint me.
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Posted By: halabalushindigus
Date Posted: March 04 2010 at 01:28
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here's the deal as far as I'm concerned. Jimmy Page, for starters has an incredible weight on his shoulders when he plays live. He has to play the rhythm and the leads. He always plays BRILLIANTLY, if you are a guitarist, you know what I mean. Sure, it's sloppy, maybe that's because he's playing in a band called,HELLO!! LED ZEPPELIN. And out of all the guitarists mentioned in this poll, not ONE OF THEM would dare take a square-off against Jimmy. I know I wouldn't.
His playing is sexy. and very melodic. Remember, the listener has to understand what the guitarist is playing. He is perhaps the most raw guitarist this world has ever seen ------------- assume the power 1586/14.3 |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: March 04 2010 at 11:41
In Knebworth JP was not as his very top form, and he sounded not as good as he is/was, The version of The Song Remains The Same, was one of the worst night in the MSG but if you grab some ROIO of the three nights, i think the second night is the best version, check the ROIO named Grandilocuence.
Besides that if you want to hear Zep in all his mighty i recommend to you the Texas Pop Festival 1969 ROIO, they play with fire!
Also the 1980 tour was better than the 1979 knebworth shows, check muster 1980 and the last one, Berlin 1980.
------------- |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: March 04 2010 at 11:42
Could agree more!
And also we have to remember how's LZ life on the road. ------------- |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: March 04 2010 at 11:57
BOC's Stairway to the Stars.  ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Harry Hood
Date Posted: March 05 2010 at 00:40
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this thread fails for not including Frank Zappa's rendition on The best Band You've Never Heard In Your Life. Which is, factually, the best version of Stairway. ------------- 
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Posted By: Kashmir75
Date Posted: March 05 2010 at 18:32
Kashmir's my fave LZ song too, hence my username! I tend to listen to the live versions of Stairway more than the one on IV these days, but only because I have heard it played so much. It's still great though. I have all the versions listed above in the poll. I voted for the BBC Sessions version. That was on John Peel's radio show, right?  I have that No Quarter Unledded CD. The world music versions of their songs are interesting. It's good they focused on mainly their lesser known material (Friends, Four Sticks). I love the version of Kashmir on that disc. ------------- Hello, mirror. So glad to see you, my friend. It's been a while... |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: March 05 2010 at 21:45
| ^ I may even like that album more than any actual Led Zeppelin album... well, it would be a tie with IV. It's really really good, great arrangements to their classic songs as well as to their no so known ones. My only complaint would be the very No Quarter song, which I didn't like how they played it, I would rather have had The Rain song in the album (which is included on the DVD and sounds really cool). More than world music versins, I would say Hindu-Sounding versions. |