Much like “He-who-must-not-be-named,” from Harry Potter, the opening riff of Stairway to Heaven is considered forbidden among people who are so against the song that they cannot even bear to hear it played.
In fact, the opening notes of Stairway to Heaven are known in some other circles as the “forbidden riff” or the “forbidden song.” However, the legend of exactly why it is banned in guitar stores actually goes much deeper than the comfortable combines of a local music shop. Well, technically “Stairway to Heaven” isn’t actually banned in most guitar stores, and even if they do have a sign saying this, it’s almost certainly a joke and not an actual policy. Is Stairway to Heaven Actually Banned in Guitar Stores? Either way, it is true that you can now purchase unofficial “NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN” signs from a variety of sellers, including this one on Etsy. With this in mind, it is quite possible that Wayne’s World simply popularized one of these signs from a real store. These usually say something like “Hippies Use the Backdoor,” “Real Men Play the Blues,” or pay homage to local musicians and past gigs. Think about it, nearly every guitar store you’ve ever been in has had a novelty sign or two on the wall. Because the Wayne’s World writing staff was made up of many hilarious former Saturday Night Live cast members and writers, there is a chance that this joke was written about a real-life experience one of them had.īut also, these kind of novelty signs and gags are not entirely out of place in a music store.
In a sense, the reason why Stairway to Heaven is “banned” in guitar stores is a bit of a “chicken or the egg” situation. 06:40 pm GMT What Came First, The Joke Or The Movie? Why Is Stairway To Heaven Banned In Guitar Stores? This has left many people wondering, “Why is Stairway To Heaven banned in guitar stores?” In this article, we explore the lore surrounding the song, including its history and legacy. Infamously, this trend has earned Stairway‘s intro the nickname “ the Forbidden Riff” over the past several decades. With that in mind, guitar stores around the world have semi-jokingly banned the song’s angelic opening notes from being played while customer’s test guitars. Its legacy is unmatched as nearly every person who has picked up a guitar attempts to play Stairway and dreams of the day they can compose such an iconic piece of music. So clearly, “Stairway to Heaven” is an important song that resonates with many listeners.