Stairways to Heaven, Stairways to Hell (MP3s)

Here are 101 versions of the song that doesn't remain the same, depending on whether it's the the Australian music hall version, the Gilligan's Island version, the backwards version, the backwards splice-and-dice quarter note version, the glass harmonica version, the Doors version, the reggae version and on and on (all MP3s). Much of this came from former FMU DJ KBC's CD of the same name, which took much of it's content from this 1992 LP.

 

Dusty Cowshit   |   Hard-Ons   |   Little Roger & The Goosebumps   |   Rock Lobsters

Neil Pepper   |   SCTV   |   Glass Harp   |   Leonard Teale   |   Beatnix

Ludwig Von 88   |   Leif Norbergs   |   John Paul Young   |   Pardon Me Boys

Kalocin   |   Fargone Beauties   |   Richard Cheese   |   Robyne Dunn

Rolf Harris   |   GS Incorporated   |   Australian Doors Show 

Dixie Power Trio   |   Kate Ceberano & Ministry of Fun   |   Thomas Dimuzio

Sandra Kahn & Michael Turkic   |   Pat Boone   |   Tiny Tim & Brave Combo

Nashville Super Pickers   |   Congo Natty

Foo Fighters   |   Vienna Symphonic Orchestra   |   Dolly Parton

Nileppez Del   |   Dread Zeppelin   |   Leningrad Cowboys & The Red Army Chorus

Frank Zappa   |   Vegimite Reggae

UPDATE: Dutch artist Jeroen Offerman learned how to sing Stairway backwards. Here's a page about it from listener Neil's blog, with the full video. Thanks Mike and Neil!

UPDATE 2: Here's version number 39, an instrumental from Redd Kross. Thanks Arthur!

UPDATE 3: Here are a batch more versions I received since my original post. Click below the jump for 17 more Stairways:

Mitsuhiro Nishiwaki (Musicbox)   |   Nick Barker and The Reptiles   |   Splice of Life, Inc

Venetian Snares and Speedranch   |   Norelpref   |   Barry Crocker & The Doug Anthony Allstars

Etcetera Theater Company   |   Helen Jones   |   James Kochalka Superstar

Jodie Gillies   |   Judi Connell   |   London Symphony Orchestra

Far Corporation   |   Stanley Jordan   |   Sydney Philharmonia

Those Darn Accordians   |   Toys Went Berserk

Thanks to Norelpref, Eric, Lukas, Matt, Dan and Frank for this last batch!

Also, here is the Stairway Suite page, with MP3 samples of the song as if it were composed by six well known composers. Thanks to Dave B!

Will the number of Stairways we exceed the number of Tico Ticos? We're getting close...

UPDATE 4: Here are four more, bringing the grand total to 60. Thanks to: Lukas, Mark, John and Al!

Iron Maiden   |   Me First and The Gimme Gimmes

Milish   |   Rodrigo y Gabriela

UPDATE 5: We've done it! With the addition of these four versions, we've exceeded the number of versions of Tico Tico, and it's still rising. Will we reach 100 versions? Including in this batch is one by the National Cynical Network, which combined the first 50 or so covers for their version, and a mashup by DJ Earworm. Thanks Phineas, Earworm, Maarten and Noah!

National Cynical Network   |   DJ Earworm

Heavy Fuel   |   A Pretty Sunset

UPDATE 6: Alas, only two one new version to add today, plus a famous old andt-Stairway diatribe. But more are reportedly on the way. Thanks to Rich, Steven and Barrett! (Later, I realized I already linked Richard Cheese. This is a bad sign, when even I've lost track of what's up here...)

Die Zorros   |   Richard Cheese  |   Michael Mills (Spoken Diatribe)

UPDATE 6: Here's three more, courtesy of Eric and John:

Bellanova   |   Gregorian Masters of Chant   |   Guster

UPDATE 7: Our man in The Netherlands, Eric, has sent five four more: 

Vogelfrai   |   Not Moby   |  Final Fantasy X 

Unknown   |   Jose Padilla

UPDATE 8: Whoa - hit the jackpot today! Here are 14 more versions, including a Banjo version (Todd Taylor), a yodeling version (Mary Schneider), a string quartet and more. Thanks Eric (aka NaN), Carl and Theo!

Todd Taylor   |   Camper Van Beethoven   |   Mary Schneider, Yodeling Queen of Australia

Sisters of Mercy   |   White Skull   |   Sons of Ishmael   |   Whipper Snappers

Stereofeed String Quartet   |   Orchestra National De Jazz   |   Havanarama

Reverend Billy C Wirtz   |   Zakk Wylde   |    Johnny Bic

UPDATE 9: As we approach the 100 mark, I should announce now my intention to not turn Stairway To Heaven into my life's work - I'll be stopping additions when I reach 101 versions, although after  that point, I'll add new versions that are outstanding or unusual, and retire some of the more boring verrsions I've already posted. Here's seven more, thanks to Nan and Mr. You-Know-Who.

The Raleigh Ringers   |   The Sauerkraut Project   |   Steve Morse

The Lounge-O-Leers   |   Helloween   |   The Dick Twang Band (Dick's page)

The Symphonic Led Zeppelin

UPDATE 10: With these eight versions, we make it to a nice round 101 covers, and I hereby end this little project there. (I removed two other versions, one of which was a duplicate, and another which was a Zeppelin acoustic version!) I'm still open to receiving more versions and I may occasionally rotate dull versions out for new, unusual versions. But no more daily updates. Thanks to Diego, NaN and M-Slick da ninjA  for this final round, and thanks to everyone else who submitted versions in the last week!

Dash Rip Rock (Stairway to Freebird)   |   Short Attention Span Stairway

Jana  |    Iron Horse   |   Ann Wilson

 

Del Pueblo Del Barrio   |   Jon Brion   |   M-Slick da ninjA

UPDATE 11: I've eliminated a few misspellings pointed out in the comments, and also deleted links to identical songs with different titles. As a result, we've fallen below 101 versions. If anyone has a version not here, e-mail me at ken at wfmu dot org and I'll add it, so we can get back to 101. (I'm counting the backwards Dutch version as one of the original 101 versions.)

UPDATE 12: We're back up to 101 versions. Thanks Delano and Jeff! The previous version by Heart was in fact Ann Wilson solo, this is Heart live from 1976.

Renato & Tribuzy   |   Heart

Comments

[Nail]

Not sure if this is a right place... We have growing electronic newsletter mailing list, and I'm desperate to find decent, reasonably priced software or shareware for list management and distribution. We've been using Outlook and ACT and they're not working well. I was found bulk email software for sending newsletter. Are there other good options to help save my sanity? Does anyone know of any good hosting company that can handle bulk email? We need to send newsletters to about 900 customers without the hassle of restrictions. Thanks!

[Andrew Bedno]

Bless y'all for this collection. I have a Dave Matthew's version which you don't seem to list. Want a copy?

[Kjeks]

My friend and I got so inspired by this project that we had to make a cover ourselves. We hereby donate it to the world!

http://www.musikkteknologen.no/stairway_to_heaven_(detune_mix).mp3

[I hate it when]

YOU KNOW IT!!!!

[Varun]

dude, thats awesome work, u can i mean seriously release ur own dvd of stairway to heaven and it will SELLLLLLLLLLLLLL

thanks for downloads, u rock

[Enzyme2000]

The "Stairways to Heaven" VHS-PAL video is currently on ebay(Item#120013541578). It will be there for the next 9 days or so if you are interested. I don't think it's easy to find this particular video. It contains the clips of some of the featured mp3s on this site such as Rock Lobsters (like B52s), Neil Pepper (Elvis), Leonard Teale, Beatnix (like Beatles), John Paul Young, Pardon Me Boys, Fargone Beauties, Rolf Harris, Australian Doors Show, Kate Ceberano & Ministry of Fun, Sandra Kahn & Michael Turkic and Vegimite Reggae.

Have fun!

[Sensimilla]

Is This verson with Elkie Brooks already listed? http://rapidshare.de/files/20968014/wom1_1.rar.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/20968765/wom1_2.rar.html

[minty]

that is a huuuge list!! i've got the video "the money or the gun - stairways to heaven." 25 versions of the same song! there are some u have not seemed to have added to ur list:
Friends of the Castanet Club.
Bob Downe.
The Jeff Duff Orchestra.

and one last thing.... one of the artists above says Judi Connell. my video case says that it is Judi Connelli.
if i was supposed to send u the music or videos, sorry i couldn't manage to send them 2 u.

[Dmitry]

One more verison:
Patricia Paay. Album Beam of Light (1975)

[Manu]

here's one more version:
"Narrow Way To Heaven" by ApologetiX

link:
http://rapidshare.de/files/34190663/ApologetiX_-_Narrow_Way_to_Heaven.mp3.html

[Gaston!!!]

Aguante LED ZEPPELIN CARAJO!!!!!!!!!.... :)

[serag]

coooooooooooooool

[Dick Twang]

Hey thanks for listing our (cover?) of Tennessee Stairway to Heaven(On The Bayou). All cover songs by Dick Twang Band are licensed through CMRRA and this one is part of our (c)2005 CD release Dick Twang Band-"You Don't Know Dick" mp043005 Mighty Peace Records/Starvation Records. Could you please put a link to our site so people may purchase the track?
Thanks
Dick Twang Band

[ñiña linda =)]

suuubliiimiiiinaaaaal!! x3
muuuiii suuubliiimiinaaal!!
el diaboliiicooo de zeppelin ¬¬
x3 x3 x3
T.T

[Marina]

YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!
I with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pedro (me creo capo)]

GATOSSS SON UNOS `PUTOS Y YO TAMBIEN SOY PUTO Y ME LA COMO MUERANSE TODOS PUTOS DE MIERDAAAA!!!!!

OJALA QUE ALGUN DIA LOS PISE UN CAMION...

ESTERUEI TU QUEEEE????

SE LA COMEN GAYS DE MIERDA!!!!

CHAU ME VOY Y PLEASE SEND ME AN E-MAIL

FUCK YOU PEDAZOS DE PITOUS!!!

[David]

Thanks a lot for what You are doing!I found a lot of useful information here.
With the best regards!

[Sandra]

I could not find it on your page of Stairway to Heaven versions -- I may have overlooked it -- but Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues has performed a version of Stairway on his solo album Classic Blue. He is backed by the London Symphony Orchestra and a choir. The release date was some time back in the early 90s from Decca records.

[Joe Solo]

I just stumbled into your Stairway site. Thought you might be interested in an instrumental I posted today, Stairway from Heaven, at the url posted above.

I used to listen to WFMU when I lived in Weehawken from 1975 - 79, and I'm please to find you webstreaming....Keep the faith.

[Ted Legere]

There's a new album out by London woodwind virtuoso Andy Findon. The last track is a version of Stairway for countless flutes, saxes, ocarinas, recorders, clarinets and more. Visit www.andyfindon.com to hear samples. It's really different!

[Greg Umberson]

Just ran across a great video on Youtube of the Leningrad Cowboys performing Stairway... along with the Red Army Chorus. Fabulous...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2yHNIzbBXI&mode=related&search=

[Anti-Hero]

About 3-4 years ago I found a site with a version of "Stairway to Heaven" performed by a choir of senior citizens living in Belgium or so, and the quiet profound voice of an elderly female singer sounded so beatiful and tragic. I lost this link and the data. Can anyone help me to identify this version and to learn more about the singer?

[Dave Schultz]

The O'Jays have also recorded "Stairway to Heaven" on their 1988 album "Family Reunion." Search Amazon.com to hear a clip of it.

[worthatron]

i'm sorry, but i dont think that you can ever do a cover stairway to heaven. no one can do better than the original track that won 10x platinam in 1991. if they do they're sad and have writers block 5000x.

STOP COPYING OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS!!!

[naps]

Dont think i seen this one listed..its fairly new A celtic tribute to the Zep
http://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Tribute-Led-Zeppelin-Long/dp/B000L22T56

James Prendergast (banjo); Bill Verdier (fiddle); Jeff Taylor (accordion); Pat McInery (percussion).
Some sites list them as Boys from county nashville

http://rapidshare.com/files/37053100/bfcn-stairway.zip.html