Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recounts the creation of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ in copyright trial

Robert Plant, one of the most celebrated singers in rock music history, took the stand Tuesday in the copyright trial over his band Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” recounting for the jury how the iconic song was created. “There’s a lady who knows all that glitters is gold and she’s buying a stairway to heaven,” Plant said quietly, continuing, “When she gets there she knows if the stores are all closed, with a word she can get what she came for.” Under cross-examination, the lawyer for the estate of Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe prodded Plant about whether the band performed other artists’ songs in the early years before they more fully developed their own musical repertory. Jurors listened to recordings made of the band’s first rehearsals of “Stairway” at the Headley Grange recording retreat, and heard Page describe how he worked to create a song that builds from the gentle acoustic guitar opening through his titanic electric guitar solo leading into Plant’s high-register vocal climax. Every measure is significant.” To make his point, Mathes walked the jury through a graphic that showed a musicological breakdown of “Stairway.” Referencing a color-coded diagram of the song as he spoke, Mathes played guitar and occasionally sang different bits of “Stairway.” Also Tuesday, Anderson tried to rebut earlier testimony from an economist who estimated “Stairway” had brought in millions of dollars in profits for Zeppelin and the various music companies affiliated with the band.