It seems like I’ve heard about this case for six or seven years now. Did Led Zeppelin borrow or rip off the music from a song by California band Spirit to create the opening for Zepp’s legendary “Stairway To Heaven?” The trial finally began yesterday in California with the three remaining original Zeppelin members expected to either be in the court room or be called as witnesses.
Spirit once did open for Led Zeppelin back in the day, so it’s possible, maybe even just subconsciously, that Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page or Robert Plant borrowed the intro from the Spirit instrumental song, “Taurus.” The guys certainly would’ve hung out and listened to each other play a bit on tour.
The Spirit song’s writer, Randy California (real name: Randy Wolfe), is no longer alive, so this copyright infringement suit is being filed by his estate’s lawyer, who claims the two songs share unique “ascending chromatic lines.” Zepp’s lawyer said that nobody owns common musical elements and that the Spirit song’s rights aren’t even owned by Randy California’s estate, but rather the band’s former record label head, Lou Adler.
I think there’s a definite similarity between the two songs introductions. Is it enough to give the former Spirit singer’s estate writing credits? Don’t know – strange things happen inside California courts (remember O.J. Simpson?). Here’s a short bit of both songs, listen below and judge for yourself.
Doc Watson
