What does buying the stairway to heaven mean?

I always wondered about this. Perhaps you smart people could enlighten me. You know that led zepplin song..

I could only tell you what it means to me. To me it is discribing a person who believes that if they make enough sacrifice of themselves, they can earn they're way to heaven. This being described by a person who believes heaven is, if it exists, is our rightful place if we just be good.

it means what it says in reverse and in part of the song you hear(it my sweet satan the one whose little path would make me sad whose power is fake)some claim to hear( he give 666)

Like OKciy, I would give my interpetationof the meaning, although Izzy comment does give one pause to think 'what are the lyrics to the song?
Previous (long ago) statements questioning Christian values & the American Way tend to be divergent. Most Americans consider themselves as Christian yet the American Way is all about acquiring material wealth. Jesus spoke of a poor woman giving pocket change in contrast to wealth who gave more . . . that she had given more because she had given from that she had for her substain life while they gave from their excess. The Christian concept of taking rewards of earthly treasues opposed to those of heavenly treasures.

Guys, I'm pretty sure its just about buying drugs and slowly killing yourself with them, but I could be wrong.

"When she get's there she knows, when the stores are all closed, with a word she can get... what she came for."

"She's buying a stairway to heaven"

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it means what it says in reverse and in part of the song you hear(it my sweet satan the one whose little path would make me sad whose power is fake)some claim to hear( he give 666)

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you took the words right out of my mouth.here,this is probably a lil more accurate

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/stairway.php

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"When she get's there she knows, when the stores are all closed, with a word she can get... what she came for."

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Not knowing the words to the song, is there anything else that makes you believe it is about drugs?

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"She's buying a stairway to heaven"

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Or is it your perception that those using drugs are seeking heaven by obtainning euphoric state?

I've had a look at the lyrics for a while now. To me its either about nothing or its about growing out of materialism and looking for something else, spiritual or meaningful. I'll add some thoughts next to teh lyrics

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold (gold material
And she's buying a stairway to heaven (literally- trying to buy it)
And when she gets there she knows if the stores are closed
With a word she can get what she came for (that word is money?)



Woe oh oh oh oh oh
And she's buying a stairway to heaven

There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure (spiritual turn)
And you know sometimes words have two meanings (questioning- progress?)
In the tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven (they are not on the right track-progress of realisation)

Woe oh oh oh oh oh
And she's buying a stairway to heaven (still no yet there yet though)

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west (west-centre of commercialism)
And my spirit is crying for leaving (literally wants to escape materialism)
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees (see's the whole picture now-sees flows not just the objects)
And the voices of those who stand looking (not quite sure)

Woe oh oh oh oh oh
And she's buying a stairway to heaven

And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune (all come together as one rather than indicudually)
Then the piper will lead us to reason (one for all one for all- starting to get to original meaning of all this)
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long (bravery-stick with it dont give in to who you are)
And the forest will echo with laughter (forest-think big the whole picture-now starting to understand)

And it makes me wonder (wonder-source of all knowledge)

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow (starting to shift your ways out of commercialism into realistion of more)
Don't be alarmed now (its okay)
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen (its natural-you're maturing-hence may time and queen represents maturity)

Yes there are two paths you can go by (materialism or spiritualism or maybe evil maybe good or maybe wrong maybe right)
but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on (never too late)

Your head is humming and it won't go because you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him (go back to where you came)
Dear lady can't you hear the wind blow and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind (the answer doesnt lie in the blaring but in the subtleties-this is like dylan and his answer is blowing in the wind)

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our souls (I like this-material view greater than spiritual or perhaps that we remember our darker past rather than now or the hope an potential of the future)
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show (enlightenment?)
How everything still turns to gold (this confuses me; this could be really clever in that everything is material-i.e. thing whereas all isnt just material (note the difference)- I doubt it though)
And if you listen very hard (keyword listen not just hear-I reckon naturally would have been better than very hard though)
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all (here it is; where we all acknowedge oneness as opposed to selfishness)
To be a rock and not to roll (the most important point in my view-individuality yet still not selfish)
Woe oh oh oh oh oh
And she's buying a stairway to heaven

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
And when she gets there she knows if the stores are closed
With a word she can get what she came for (repeating)


And she's buying a stairway to heaven, uh uh uh.

I can see how this could be about drugs, but to me, theres more to this than meets the obvious eye. The key to me came when I noticed the two lines:

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold

to:

How everything still turns to gold

Read the contexts and you will see this is about the potential of each of us aka: hope.

A deeply felt 'Thank You' for sharing the words & your considerations of their meaning!

Here is the meaning to Stairway to heaven.....

Take in mind that it's full of symboligy...infact it is implied in the song itself "there's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure cause you know sometimes words have two meanings = Symbologie or read between the lines. So with that said here we go...

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven (The "lady" represents a religious party i.e. Catholic, Protestant, Judaism, ect. God called his chosen people "her" and Israel "her" and the bride of Christ - the true church 'her" .But there is also a false church = false "her' . They teach and believe in works salvation. two
main religions that fall under this description are Catholicism and Judaism who teach works salvation i.e. buying your way into heaven. anyone could fall under this class. fooled into believing there buying there way into heaven.

When she gets there she knows if the stores are all closed with a word she could get what she came for (when she gets there = i.e. when she dies and has passed to the other side. she knows if the stores are all closed the store represents getting what you need. In this case entrance to heaven. With a word she could get what she came for. If you read John 1:1 you will clearly see what that "Word" is....let me quote it "In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God, and the word was God" and verse 14 "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" that is Jesus the Word or Logos. With a Word - Jesus she could get what she came for.
If you're interested and want me to continue then let me know because there's plenty more in it.

I think she's buying shrooms or acid.