Stairway to Heaven?
I grew up listening to all kinds of rock music.
My older brother Michael loved it...and when you share a room with your older brother who is stronger than you, you listen to what he likes:)
"Stairway to heaven" by the British Rock Band Led Zeppelin is considered my many as one of the best rock n roll songs of all time.
- Released in 1971 (10 years before I was born).
- The most requested song to be played on the radio in the 1970s.
- By the year 2000 the song had been broadcast over the US radio waves over 3 million times.
- The song's sheet music is #1 in sales, selling over 15,000 copies annually.
- Today, when I googled a youtube recording of the song there were 48,656,953 views....41 years after it's release!
Clearly this song struck a chord in the hearts of many people. Isn't it interesting though, that most songs like this are filled with more questions than answers?
People are so desperately looking for a spiritual experience as they get lost in the music, but often find themselves more depressed than when they first hit "play."
Even the band's lead vocalist Robert Plant once said, "I'd break out in hives if I had to sing ("Stairway to Heaven") in every show. I wrote those lyrics and found that song to be of some importance and consequence in 1971, but 17 years later, I don't know. It's just not for me."
My intention with this post is not to slam this song or any other form of art. The ability to create and appreciate art is an amazing gift given to us by God Himself.
My thought here is on the simple fact that art, beauty, music, and anything that catches your heart but does not lead you to the source of all beauty, creation, and wonderment (Jesus), will in the end leave you depressed, jaded, cynical and self absorbed.
Take a look at a few words penned by a guy named John about 2,000 years before Led Zeppelin was inspired to write their classic piece...
Jesus is quoted here talking to a new friend named Nathaniel about His true identity. “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth." John 1:51