One Night Only: Led Zeppelin Reunites And Stuns Crowd Into Silence With “Stairway To Heaven”

Atlantic Records’ 40th Anniversary

In 1988, Led Zeppelin reunited in celebration of Atlantic Records’ 40th anniversary. Featuring John Bonham’s only son Jason behind his father’s drum kit, the band embarked on what was at the time only their second performance of ‘Stairway To Heaven’ since John’s death in 1980.

Robert Plant was as electric as ever; winding around the stage, he spun the tale of the woman who could buy everything but her way into Heaven. Flanked by John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, Plant delivered a performance that made us forget that it had been 8 years since the band had shared a stage, and if you weren’t careful you could have mistaken young Jason Bonham for his father.

Led Zeppelin performed a 5 song set that night, consisting of ‘Kashmir,’ ‘Heartbreaker,’ ‘Whole Lotta Love,’ ‘Misty Mountain Hop,’ and ‘Stairway to Heaven’.

While we’re not likely to ever see another Led Zeppelin reunion again in this lifetime, this exclusive footage of the boys performing ‘Stairway To Heaven’ is a fantastic reminder that for a time, we were in the company of living legends who not only changed music, but redefined what it was to be a musician.

+ Stairway To Heaven lyrics +

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 all closed
With a word she can get what she came for

Ooh ooh ooh…ooh…ooh ooh ooh
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven

There’s a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
‘Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In the tree by the brook there’s a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven

Oooh…It makes me wonder
Oooh…It makes me wonder

There’s a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking

Oooh…It makes me wonder
Oooh…And it makes me wonder

And it’s whispered that soon, if we all called the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forest will echo with laughter

Woe woe woe woe woe oh
If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow
Don’t be alarmed now
It’s just a spring clean for the May Queen
Yes there are two paths you can go by
but in the long run
There’s still time to change the road you’re on

And it makes me wonder…ohhh ooh woe

Your head is humming and it won’t go – in case you don´t know
The piper’s calling you to join him
Dear lady can you hear the wind blow and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our souls
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all, yeah
To be a rock and not to roll
Ooooooooooooh

And she’s buying a stairway to heaven