# Does Led Zeppelin's "stairway to heaven" in fact contain secret satanic messages? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435 "2014-07-05T22:07:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/144 "2014-07-08T21:00:24Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > […]but diphthongs, and obstruents are really oddballs[…] You’re just making words up now, arent you? 😃 Of course, I’d listen to a band called “the dipthongs” or the “Obstruents” - but never together. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/145 "2014-07-09T02:40:58Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I think you’re mishearing “for us” as “far us”, and obviously a “t” has been dropped (probably to hide this from the censors.) Therefore, the statement makes sense… “He is not for us.” > > And once you have that, it’s easy to deduce the meaning: Given the cultural (US) habit of capitalizing male pronouns when talking about Jesus and God, this is obviously a statement condemning Christianity and getting more kids to worship Satan by convincing them that Jesus is not for them. (swoons) Can I join your cult? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/146 "2014-07-09T03:04:21Z")
I need money first. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/147 "2014-07-09T03:26:30Z")
Does anyone remember laughter? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/148 "2014-07-09T11:05:59Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Does anyone remember laughter? [Satan] Mwa! MwaHAHA! Mwa HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!! [/Satan] Play _that_ backwards. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/149 "2014-07-10T13:11:46Z")
Judas Priest said at their own backwards masking court case that, if they _were_ to include a subliminal backwards message on one of their songs, it would simply say: “Buy more Judas Priest records”. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/150 "2014-07-10T13:57:14Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Probably one of the reasons that Christians have found so much “satan” in backwards lyrics is that by coincidence, some very common word, like “it’s” sounds similar to “satan” backwards. “Satan” is only two syllables and has common sounds in it. Anyone know off-hand exactly what words reverse too “sweet satan” in that one part? See post [#10](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17522998&postcount=10): > [@Johanna](#): > > So all four lines include at the beginning sibilant, dental, and “eh” sounds. Reversed, those sounds provide raw material for the brain to reassemble into “Satan.” “Myat lits zreth” (“There’s still time” backwards) allows the brain to hear it as “My sweet Satan,” etc. I agree with your analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/151 "2014-07-10T15:49:55Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Here’s a fun one: Most music, played backward, just sounds crappy. But try it with the old classic _This Old House_ as recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1954. I discovered that years ago, in the mid-1960’s. But someone else did too, [and posted it on YouTube!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc1vudd1ksw) GMTA! Take a listen. The backwards words make no coherent sense at all (even if you think you can hear the occasional recognizable word), but it’s a fun listen. Ride the Sausage! RIDE THE SAUSAGE!! _It’s the SHIT!!!_:eek:😃 ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/152 "2014-07-10T18:26:23Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > See post [#10](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17522998&postcount=10): > > I agree with your analysis. So the word “there’s” in reverse can end up sounding like “satan.” That makes sense. I’ll bet something upwards of 50% of pop songs have the word “there’s” in them. “Satan” is probably easy to assemble from backwards sounds, and that’s why people find “satan” so often, but never “the devil,” “Prince of Darkness,” “anti-Christ,” or any other term Christians use for their boogey man. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/153 "2014-07-10T19:10:33Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > So the word “there’s” in reverse can end up sounding like “satan.” That makes sense. I’ll bet something upwards of 50% of pop songs have the word “there’s” in them. > > “Satan” is probably easy to assemble from backwards sounds, and that’s why people find “satan” so often, but never “the devil,” “Prince of Darkness,” “anti-Christ,” or any other term Christians use for their boogey man. Yes, that does seem to fit. “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.” \>\> “Here’s to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make us sad, whose power is Satan.” “If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now, It’s just a spring clean for the May queen.” \>\> “He’ll give those with him 666. There was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.” Everywhere it sounds like “Satan” in the backward recording coincides with “there” or “there’s” in the proper, forwards recording. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/154 "2014-07-10T19:45:18Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > “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.” \>\> “Here’s to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make us sad, whose power is Satan.” > > “If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now, > It’s just a spring clean for the May queen.” \>\> “He’ll give those with him 666. There was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.” > > Everywhere it sounds like “Satan” in the backward recording coincides with “there” or “there’s” in the proper, forwards recording. Or “it’s.” I think the “say-TAN” ones are “there’s” or “there” + s-word (eg, “there still”), and “it’s” are the “SAY-n” ones. When someone finds “Beelzebub” in a backwards mask, I’ll pay attention. BTW: [here’s what it sounds like when someone does deliberately speak backwards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjeRCsoufII) (skip ahead to :40 if you are impatient). The warped effect was achieved by having the actor speak his lines normally, record them, play them backwards, and have the actor memorize the backwards gibberish. When the scene was filmed it was done backwards, the movements as well as the lines (this is why Agent Cooper sits so still), and then edited into the show with the footage reversed, to give it that creepy feel. [Here’s somebody’s reversal of the above scene,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lopDQDYyO7w) so you can hear what actual backwards speaking sounds like. This is just offered for comparison with the reversal of “Stairway to Heaven.” ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/155 "2014-07-11T00:29:39Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Played backwards, I hear “Buy more Led Zep records.” > > Not exactly the sort of inspiring message one would expect to hear from the Prince of Darkness, is it? As a matter of fact, yes! Rush records, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/156 "2014-07-11T02:54:38Z")
And what’s all this about blackmasking songs anyway? Didn’t that die out with [Al Jolson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_jolson#mediaviewer/File:Jolson_black.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/157 "2014-07-11T19:37:35Z")
> [@sara20](#): > > The house Alister Crowley lived in was known as “The toolshed”, Jimmy page bought his house and wrote “stairway to heaven” in it. It’s “Aleister.” Not “Alister.” And the man (Crowley) was not a Satanist, but a Thelemite - in fact, the founder of Thelema, a religion in which Satan plays no role whatsoever. So even if Page was a total Crowley nut - and I’m absolutely not saying that he was - why in the balls would he write a song praising Satan? ---
**Author:** ![Absinthe\_Anecdote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@Absinthe\_Anecdote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absinthe_Anecdote)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/158 "2014-07-11T20:14:27Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > It’s “Aleister.” Not “Alister.” > > And the man (Crowley) was not a Satanist, but a Thelemite - in fact, the founder of Thelema, a religion in which Satan plays no role whatsoever. > > So even if Page was a total Crowley nut - and I’m absolutely not saying that he was - why in the balls would he write a song praising Satan? It’s obvious to me, Satan didn’t like being shut out of Thelema, so he corrupted Page and made him write a song singing his backwards praises. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/159 "2014-07-12T09:25:09Z")
> [@Absinthe\_Anecdote](#): > > It’s obvious to me, Satan didn’t like being shut out of Thelema, so he corrupted Page and made him write a song singing his backwards praises. .elpoep ,ereh ssalg gnikool eht hguorht er’eW ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435/160 "2014-07-12T22:55:46Z")
tn̩zɪ mɪ̯at tʌb l̩bəsrɜvɪr zɪ ʃtiːps ɪ̯am [key phrase: discover the phonemes](http://youtu.be/E_q7rZJljKY?t=3m5s) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-in-fact-contain-secret-satanic-messages/692435.md?page=7)