Stairway to heaven- its mysterious meanings

"If you're between seventeen and fifty and 'Stairway' is not your
favorite tune, you're probably too out of it to care that rock's
eight-minute miracle turns twenty this month." Karen Karbo

"If your child is born today: [November 8, 1971]... he will be one
of those charming young people who needs complimenting when
something unusual is accomplished. Any work connected with pleasing
the public is fine here... Do not try to give music lessons if
football is desired." Carroll Righter, The Carroll Righter Institute


Enough of quoted eulogies. I placed them to give an idea of the ardent fans this song has. Now, my voice.

I was introduced to the 'Stairway of heaven' a few days back. I loved its evocative music. And, I thought its lyrics spoke to my current dilemmas. Well, some lines did. And, I didn't understand the rest.

"There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold (like me)
And she's buying a stairway to heaven (Buying? not building?)
And when she gets there she knows if the stores are closed
With a word she can get what she came for" (What does that mean???)


The rest of the song too had similar tigerstripes of insight and ambiguity about the meaning.

So, I looked up on the net for the answer. I was surprised.

There are many, many people asking the same question. And there are no satisfactory answers. I am still as clueless.

A few theories that I came across are:

1. The song was written in a drugged state. It has no meaning whatsoever.
2. It means whatever you want it to mean.
3. It's a devoutly Christian song.
4. It has hidden Satanic messages hidden in it.

'Reverse speech' and 'backmasking' were unheard words for me. Till an hour ago. Now I am making a face at the prospect of hearing them again.

Nevertheless, I am going to read more on them. Because, this whole story has me hooked. Many questions have fascinated me.

1. How did the song become so famous if no one really understood its meaning?
2. Does the fact that it did indeed manage to do so not speak about our herd tendency? That people listen to a song, and recommend it, because they know its very popular, and is known as 'one of the greatest songs of all times', and if so many people say that, there must be some sound reason for the same (though that reason has eluded them somehow).
3. Or is this explanation for its fame too simplistic? What could be the other factors?
4. In 1982, a committee of the California State assembly convened to listen to the song for the allegedly backmasked Satanic messages, as some Baptist preachers had charged it to contain. They played the song backwards, and supposedly heard the words ""here's to my sweet Satan."
I find this ridiculous, and it shocks me to know that the rumours were taken seriously enough for a legislative committee to formally investigate!!! And, the net is teeming with people who claim to have heard more hidden messages in the song.

Do people still believe in Satan? So seriously? So sincerely that they actually beleive it possible that Led Zeppelin may be an agent of the Satan?

I am amazed!