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The best classic rock song of all time "bleeds rock 'n' roll" and keeps listeners entranced for eight minutes.
The lyrical masterpiece was penned by one of the greatest rock bands in music history and opens with a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a..."
Released in 1971, the track was written by frontman Robert Plant in "a flash of inspiration," per Song Facts.
"I was holding a pencil and paper, and for some reason I was in a very bad mood. Then all of a sudden my hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold/And she's buying a stairway to heaven.' I just sat there and looked at the words and then I almost leapt out of my seat."
According to a list compiled by The Top Tens, the best classic rock song of all time is Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." The global hit became part of a legal battle in 2014 when the band was sued for copyright infringement on grounds the opening guitar riff was copied from the song "Taurus" by Spirit, released three years prior. Zeppelin ended up winning the appeal in the copyright case in 2020, per RollingStone.
Other songs that made the list include Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," The Eagles' "Hotel California," Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," and The Who's "Baba O'Riley" to round out the top five.
Here's what The Top Tens had to say about the "Immigrant Song" icons and the greatest classic rock song of all time:
"Definitely Led Zeppelin's best song. There should be more Zeppelin on the list, though. Everything about it is great. John Paul Jones's keyboard playing is beautiful. Jimmy Page made the guitar sound amazing. The way he took the slow beginning and turned it into a wailing solo and outro is incredible. John Bonham's drums make my heart stop. Robert Plant's vocals are probably the best ever. It's the song to end all songs. The best song in existence."
Watch Led Zeppelin perform the timeless track live at Earl's Court in 1975 and check out The Top Tens for a continued list of the best classic rock songs in history.