‘Stairway To Heaven` at 50: The song that ushered in the era of the guitar hero
(WorldNews Music)

W hen Jimmy Page strapped on a double-necked guitar at Belfast Ulster Hall on 5 March 1971, the audience no doubt thought they were about to be bombarded with twice the rock. They`d already been savaged by the live debut of blues Cerberus “Black Dog”, their first taster from Led Zeppelin`s forthcoming fourth album, and were eager for the world`s hottest hard rock band to keep the pedal to the formative heavy metal. Then Page plucked out a gentle pastoral arpeggio redolent of arcadian glades, medieval minstrels and all manner of nonny-nonnyness, a refrain crying out for classical recorder accompaniment. Robert Plant`s lyrics only enhanced its arcane air: “There`s a lady who`s sure all that...