Technically it was Monday but this week in Popular Music History, the song which defines Led Zeppelin, whether Robert Plant likes it or not, was released.
When I was growing up, I only heard it Sunday evenings on WLS as they were playing the top albums or something in the late Seventies. Really amazing and sad how much staying power Led Zeppelin IV had plus how much the Burnouts hated anything new.
“Stairway” did quickly become a scourge upon AOR that it can’t shake.
To illustrate, back in 1988, when I was an intern at WQFM-Milwaukee, they decided to play their top 933 songs of all time. Why? I have no idea. The station’s ratings were in a free fall and nobody had any balls to stand up to Lee Abrams ruining everything. Anyway, as they were getting to the final 20 or so, everybody knew the drill. It was mostly the same old crap every AOR (Album Rock) station had played to death since the mid Seventies: “Freebird,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Stairway” would be number one as it had been all the time everywhere. The Music Director pitched something daring and it would get them free publicity in the local media, possibly the trade publications. Have a funeral for the damned song as they crown a new champion, Guns N Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Personally, I find this song equally repulsive, juvenile and shitty. It’s the anthem for millions of White Trash kids in the Midwest and Great Plains. The Music Director’s idea was brilliant though…which is why the powers above him wouldn’t do it. Therefore, FM radio continued its slide into irrelevance when listeners found a way to tune out the crap.
Beyond covers, two I know of immediately: Dread Zeppelin and Tiny & Brave Combo, only the latter is impressive. Should I never hear this pompous song again for as long as I live, I will die happy!