Robert Plant delivered a uncommon efficiency of the traditional Led Zeppelin track “Stairway to Heaven” throughout a charity profit in Oxfordshire, England on Saturday night time.
Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor, who’s battling stage 4 colon most cancers, organized the occasion, with proceeds benefiting the Most cancers Consciousness Belief.
Vegetation’s efficiency included renditions of Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You” and “Black Canine,” in addition to Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.” Nonetheless, it was the surprising rendition of “Stairway to Heaven” that was the unquestioned spotlight of his look. Backed by Taylor and lots of the night time’s performers, Plant tore via the 1971 traditional, a lot to the delight of the group in attendance. In keeping with Setlist.fm, the final identified time that Plant carried out “Stairway to Heaven” was at Led Zeppelin’s 2007 reunion.
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“Wager I loved that greater than him,” Taylor joked on the finish of the track, alluding to Plant’s uneasy historical past with the monitor.
“I do know that on this modern age of digital stuff, there’s each probability that different folks will see that,” Plant then quipped, earlier than explaining that his rendition was devoted to Taylor, the Most cancers Consciousness Belief and Led Zeppelin, “wherever they’re.”
Watch Plant’s efficiency of “Stairway to Heaven” starting at 55:30 within the video under.
Robert Plant’s Difficult Historical past With ‘Stairway to Heaven’
Regardless of being probably the most beloved songs in rock historical past, “Stairway to Heaven” has by no means been one in every of Plant’s favourite Led Zeppelin tracks. In truth, the singer has typically expressed dissatisfaction with the tune.
Famously, Plant admitted to Nancy Wilson that he’d come to hate the enduring track, however modified his perspective after watching Coronary heart carry out “Stairway to Heaven” on the 2012 Kennedy Middle Honors.
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In 2019, Plant expressed respect for the “unimaginable” building of the track. “The best way that Jimmy [Page] took the music via, and the best way that the drums reached nearly climaxed after which continued.” Nonetheless, he wasn’t so flattering concerning his personal contributions. “It’s a really lovely piece. However lyrically, now, and even vocally, I’m going, ‘I’m undecided about that.’”
In a newer interview, Plant admitted to feeling “estranged” from “Stairway to Heaven.” “I’m now a voyeur. I’m not accountable for it anymore,” the singer famous. “I’m not in guitar outlets being instructed to not do it. I’m not happening the aisle at a marriage enjoying it with a flute.”
Led Zeppelin Albums Ranked
Counting down each canonical Led Zeppelin album, from worst (comparatively talking, after all) to greatest.
Gallery Credit score: Nick DeRiso
