equent topic of discussion in the tab groups is ‘what are the lyrics to
‘Stairway To Heaven’ about, anyway?’. Well, the narrator obviously isn’t
going to build a *physical* stairway to heaven — for one thing, how could
he move it around without bumping it into everything? Instead, ‘build a
stairway to heaven’ is a *metaphor* — like, you know, sometimes words have
two meanings.
«Stairway To Heaven»
(Neil Sedaka — Howard Greenfield)
Intro:
F Dm
Climb up way up high
F Dm
Climb up way up high
F Dm
Climb up way up high
Bb C [N.C. (tympani)]
/ / / / /
Verse 1:
F
Well-a well-a well-a heavenly angel
Dm
I want you for my girl
Bb
When I kissed your sweet, sweet lips
C [N.C.] B
I knew you were out of this world
Chorus:
Bb
I’ll build a stairway to heaven
F
I’ll climb to the highest star
Bb G7
I’ll build a stairway to heaven
C7/G /C F [1-3: N.C. (tympani); 4: to coda]
‘Cause heaven is where you are
Verse 2:
Well-a well-a well-a over the rainbow
That’s where I’m gonna climb
Way up high where the bluebirds fly
I’m gonna love you all the time
[sax solo over verse chords]
[repeat chorus]
Well-a well-a well I gotta be going
Gonna leave the world behind
Every day in a heavenly way
You’re gonna drive me outta my mind
[repeat chorus]
Coda:
(F) C B
/ / / /
(…are)
Bb G7
I’ll build a stairway to heaven
C7/G /C F [N.C. (tympani)]
‘Cause heaven is where you are
F Dm
Climb up way up high [repeat to fade]
— another ace 60’s tab from Andrew Rogers
