http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030425.html
The song would seem to be about Mother Mary, the Mother of Christ, let me walk you through it, see if you might see my proclivity to believe such.
Stairway to Heaven.
There’s a lady who’s sure
All that glitters is gold “faithful and knows the truth about God”
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven. “She was favored by God so much she bore His Son.”
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for. “She will be held above the angels as all the saints will be, how much more so shall Mother Mary?”
Ooh, ooh, and she’s buying a stairway to heaven. “But her faith, not deeds”
There’s a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
’cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. “Writing is on the wall, but don’t be fooled by the Adversary”
In a tree by the brook
There’s a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven. “Sometimes we are fearful, as she was before the birth, being cast upon for being with child, before Husband.”
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder. “He, the singer/writer ponders weighty issues”
There’s a feeling I get
When I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving. “As the lightening shines from east even unto the west, so shall the sign of the coming of Christ will be, and then the saints will meet Him in the air.”
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who standing looking. “This could be the dead saints rising to meet Christ as well, and the world watching?”
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
And it’s whispered that soon
If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason. “Son is calling us, or the Holy Spirit, God or a preacherman, disciple or apostle, take your pick.”
And a new day will dawn “New earth and New Heaven come down.”
For those who stand long “The faithful will prevail”
And the forests will echo with laughter. “The Lion will play with the Lamb.”
If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow “If there is sin or trouble in your life”
Don’t be alarmed now,
It’s just a spring clean for the may queen. “It to will pass”
Yes, there are two paths you can go by “Path of light or darkness”
But in the long run
There’s still time to change the road you’re on. “We can always turn to Jesus while still mortals”
And it makes me wonder. “Pondering it all again, like you do too.”
Your head is humming and it won’t go
In case you don’t know,
The piper’s calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind. “God is calling.”
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul. “Mankind see things in this world, and less of the spirit world.”
There walks a lady we all know “This Lady we all know.”
Who shines white light and wants to show “Is of the light, and gave birth to the light and wants everyone to know.”
How ev’rything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all “Speaks for itself within Christianity”
To be a rock and not to roll. “Be steadfast like Peter the Rock, could also be about Christ being the cornerstone”
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven. “Not by deeds but by faith”
I of course could give you verses to back and even further my perspectives on the matter. First time I heard it I was about 10 years old or so. . . . I’m now 42. What do you think?