Stairway To Heaven
Neil Sedaka
Building a Stairway to Love: Neil Sedaka's Romantic Ascent
Neil Sedaka's song "Stairway To Heaven" is a heartfelt ode to love, capturing the essence of romantic longing and the lengths one is willing to go to be with their beloved. The repeated phrase "Climb up way up high" sets the tone for the song, emphasizing the effort and determination involved in reaching a state of blissful union. The imagery of climbing and building a stairway to heaven serves as a powerful metaphor for the journey of love, suggesting that true love is an elevated, almost divine experience.
In the first verse, Sedaka introduces the object of his affection as a "heavenly angel," indicating that his love interest is extraordinary and otherworldly. The kiss he describes as "sweet, sweet lips" reinforces the idea that this love is pure and transcendent. The chorus, with its promise to "build a stairway to heaven" and "climb to the highest star," underscores the theme of striving for an idealized love that feels like heaven on earth. This metaphorical stairway represents the effort and dedication required to maintain a deep and meaningful relationship.
The second verse continues with the theme of reaching for the extraordinary, referencing the classic image of going "over the rainbow" where "bluebirds fly." This allusion to the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz" adds a layer of nostalgia and dreaminess to the narrative. The idea of loving someone "all the time" suggests a commitment to enduring love. The final verse, with its declaration of leaving the world behind and being driven "outta my mind," captures the all-consuming nature of true love, where the lover is willing to forsake everything for the beloved. The song's repetition of the chorus and the fading outro reinforce the endless and timeless nature of this romantic journey.