Do you think Stairway to Heaven played backwards really has satanic messages?
816750
In short, no, I do not think that satanic messages are embedded within Stairway to Heaven.  Backmasking, the process of playing a song backwards, usually with the intent to discover subliminal messages of a recorded medium, such as a song or movie/television dialogue, was popularized when the Beatles released the song "Rain." John Lennon later acknowledged intentionally recording an innocent backmasked message in the song. Later, radicals decided to look for satanic messages that they assumed were concealed within Rock and Roll music. Led Zepplin faced quite the assault when so many reported that "Stairway to Heaven" contained satanic references.  In fact, in 1982 a California State Assembly was held to hear the song, and they said that, when played backwards, these lyrics could be heard:\n"I sing because I live with Satan\nThe Lord turns me off-- there's no escaping it\nHere's to my sweet Satan, whose power is Satan\nHe will give you 666. I live for Satan."\nWhile the band and the label usually made no comment to the propaganda, Robert Plant later professed, "To me it's very sad, because "stairway" was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music."\nMany research projects have since ensued.\n\nI found this from an online source:\n\n"In 1985, university psychologists John R. Vokey and J. Don Read conducted a study using Psalm 23 from the Bible, Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," and various other sound passages made up for the experiment. Vokey and Read had subjects listen for phrases that they themselves could hear in a backward playing of these recordings. They then asked subjects if they could hear these same phrases, and other phrases that Vokey and Read did not hear in the recordings. Subjects were in agreement with the researchers "assignment of the passages" of the time. Vokey and Read conclude that "people do in fact" hear "intelligible phrases in streams of backward speech". They also found that "people cannot be induced to hear virtually anything in backward speech". In other words subjects heard phrases that Vokey and Read heard and told subjects were there, and did not hear phrases that Vokey and Read did not hear but said were there."\n\nThe conclusion made by Vokey and Read in the study described above was that if backmasking did indeed exist, it was ineffective. Their volunteers had trouble even noticing the backmasked phrase when the tape was played forward, were unable to judge the type of message (whether it was Christian, Satanic, or commercial) it contained, and were not led to behave in any certain way as a result of being "exposed" to the backmasked phrase. \n\nMany would agree that the power of suggestion is strong.  Furthermore, we discussed this in my psychology class and concluded that subliminal messages are generally ineffective or quite limited in their influence.  A message recorded backwards is unintelligible when the record is played forwards. It could not be understood even if it was played apart from the music. A backmasked message superimposed on a musical passage would be itself masked by the music so that it would not readily be heard.\n\nSo basically, no, i don't think there are satanic messages even though the imagination is powerful enough to suggest that there might be.  And even if there were, it wouldn't be significant to the song itself played forward.  Still pretty fascinating though!
433392
didn't you ever hear the song handi-ramp to heaven?
348162
The genre is not the issue. However, the lyrics are very important. I was saved during the Jesus People movement, and the music being brought in (tame by todays standards) was considered devil music by other denominations. However, it was a constant source of blessing for me because the words were so uplifting. It really does depend on the lyrics in my opinion.
256800
I've seen highlander, but I can't remember that song for the life of me.  I read this book ("Good Omens", awesome book!) about an angel and a demon, where every time the demon left cassettes in his car for more than 2 weeks, they morphed into Queen songs.  So maybe you're not far off!\n\nPersonally, in my messed up mind, I imagine the damned sound an awful lot like Tiny Tim.  :D
77709
In the eighties and early nineties, Satanism was mainly a way for a band to look cool.  For example, Slayer has always been a band that has had an "evilish" sound, but the lead singer, Tom Araya, is a devout Catholic.  The lead singer in Megadeth, Dave Mustaine is a conservative Christian.\nBut today, if a band is Satanic, they go right out and say it.  Marilyn Manson is a member of the Church of Satan, which is different than Satanism, believe it or not.  Many Scandinavian death metal bands are confessed Satanists (they've burnt down churches there to prove it).\nI don't think any bands pretend to be into any darker religious beliefs.  There have been some so-called "Christian" bands who have stated their beliefs as such to become popular with that niche group.  So, in a sense, there has been a total reversal from the eighties.
725250
The whole sound and vibe of the song invites comparisons to an LSD trip. I don't think the title Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was an accident.\n\n"Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers that grow so incredibly HIGH!\n\nAnother line says "climb in the back with your head in the clouds and you're gone!"\n\nThe references are unmistakeable. Factor in the year it was released, the known affinity for the drug that John Lennon had, his love of psychedelic sounds, effects and lyrics and I think you have a good case.
769638
I like Kiss From a Rose. You can tell a lot of work went into the song, and that makes its message stronger. If that song reminds him of you, I'd take it as a good sign.\n\nAnimals seems like a throw-away track. Feels like it was written more to fill up a spot on the CD than to make a good song. But I don't know...maybe it means more to someone who can identify more with that situation. I just find it kind of obnoxious.
376366
Interesting!  \n\nWhat about the reverse?  If Marilyn Manson repents and goes to heaven, can the people in hell still listen to his music?
569433
If the Christians are right, Satan wants to make people suffer.  I don't know about you all, but the best way to make me suffer is to have a rap "song" played over and over again.    \n\n**soapbox**\n\nI have pulled away from mainstream music because I swear that everything is all "urban" now.  I think rap and urban sounds are "n*ggerriffic" the way I think country music is the anthem of the "white trash paradise."
53582
I haven't seen it, but I think people should cool it. Its not like NBC is saying "Watch the show and thy will be converted to Satanism." It has nothing to do with religion. That is just a basais for the show. The main character is still a man of faith, and he believes in his faith, so you can't say he is a "BAD MAN."
163109
I don't believe this is the work of God or Satan, but a grotesque way of rationalizing his actions.  I'd guess his motivation for this is to soothe his guilty conscience.  Unfortunately, I don't think grotesque rationalization is so unusual as to qualify as "crazy", just garden-variety despicable.
362276
Isn't that a Helloween song? They were like Judas Preist if I am correct. That's the only reason I can see it being under music.
583157
Actually, his message was more similar to Karl Marx's (no heaven, no possessions)... That's no bad thing, of course. Mind you, I didn't see him giving away too many of his possessions during his life.\n\nBut you're right. The world would be better if people actually listened to the song instead of just waving lighters and pretending as if they understood it.\n\nPeace.\n\n(edit: Mainworry, for God's sake what is 'closed minded' about this question? It's 'not worthy of an answer' but tou'll supply one anyway in order to get 2 points.)
72856
The bestinterpretation of stairway to heaven by Zeppelin is that Plant was taking too many drugs while writing this song. It is a good song though. It makes your head hurt if you think about it too long.
503198
I don't think coldplay would 'raise hell' as such but it might annoy people if you play clocks or speed of sound over and over he he  Kill you by Korn might annoy someone. Marilyn Manson better for hell raising. On Antichrist superstar I like 1996 and irresponsible hate anthem is fantastic. Turn it up!
690619
I have a co-worker who listens to some abysmal radio station that plays that song every five minuets. It sounded horrible the 1st time. Now that I have heard it about 8 million times, it sounds like hell itself has opened up and is trying destroy my soul. \nOh, and whoever sings that "I want to go home" song needs to be stabbed in the neck with a screwdriver.
924665
Yes this is actually true, one night I was screwing around with my CD with Stairway to Heaven, I had my mic and sound recorder on so recored the part of which was rumored, played it back and I got really creeped out because it was 1 am and I was in the dark light was off, try it if you like.