Would it surprise you if we suggested Led Zeppelin wasn't responsible for 100 percent of its music? Hopefully not: The band has made several hits in the past by tweaking the work of classic bluesman such as Willie Dixon ("Whole Lotta Love") and Robert Johnson ("Traveling Riverside Blues"), but credit was more-or-less given...eventually.
It's been known for a long time that the classic opening to "Stairway to Heaven" sounds much like the slightly less classic opening to "Taurus" by Spirit, a band Zeppelin toured with during the late '60s. Now the band and family of deceased songwriter Randy California is suing Zeppelin for songwriting credits...and probably a chunk of cash that comes with its royalties.
Although Page opens the song right away with the descending figure, California waits until about :45 seconds in. Plus "Taurus" comes in at less than three minutes, making it far less epic than Zeppelin's final product. But it's tough to deny that the differences in Page's licks are less than subtle in their similarities. Except
Check 'em out below:
The subject was always a sore one for California, who never experienced similar success to Page. Spirit's 1970 album Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus amassed critical acclaim but not huge sales. California ended up playing the sitar at an Indian restaurant in return for food prior to his passing in 1997 at the age of 45.
The time that's passed since the release of Led Zeppelin IV in 1971 won't help the chances of the lawsuit, but the band and California's family claim they didn't have the money before. Spirit should have struck while the iron was hot.
