Been a long time, but the golden-god former frontman of Led Zeppelin performed one of the band’s most iconic tunes for the first time since 2007.
Surprising fans and ending a 16-year hiatus from performing the rock epic, Robert Plant, 75, belted the opening lyric, “There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold, and she’s buying a stairway to heaven,” during a charity concert on Saturday. The benefit show, for the U.K.-based Cancer Awareness Trust, was organized by Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor, who has Stage 4 prostate cancer.
“I know that in this contemporary age of digital stuff, there’s every likelihood that other people will see that,” Plant said after the applause eventually
Then the singer turned to Taylor and said, “So if they do, I offer it up to you and your success. And to the whole deal that has happened here. The future of it all. And also, so it’s not just that, I offer it up to Led Zeppelin, wherever they are.”
Taylor added, “God bless them. There’s a lot of drummers in the sky we love,” referencing among others Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980. The band died along with Bonham, and Plant went solo.
Plant’s set, which included other Zeppelin hits and Donovan’s “Season of the Witch,” begins at 43 minutes into the livestream shared via Facebook; “Stairway to Heaven” begins at 56 minutes.
Plant last played the song at Led Zeppelin’s 2007 reunion ― and during a 1994 television appearance with Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.
The rock legend had sworn off singing “Stairway to Heaven” decades ago. In 1988, Plant told The Times, “I’d break out in hives if I had to sing that song in every show. I wrote those lyrics and found that song to be of some importance and consequence in 1971, but 17 years later, I don’t know. It’s just not for me.”
Read more: Plant–The Hardy Perennial of Heavy Metal
Plant has notoriously disliked the eight-minute epic that’s considered one of the greatest rock songs of all time. He once donated $1,000 to a benefit put on by a radio show that was promising to permanently nix the song from its playlist if it reached its fundraising target
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