Stairway to Paradise

"Stairway to Paradise", also known as "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise", is a song composed in 1922 by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (under the name Arthur Francis) and Buddy DeSylva (under the name of B. G. De Sylva) for the Broadway revue George White's Scandals. Popular recordings in 1922–23 were by Carl Fenton, Paul Whiteman, and Ben Selvin.

Background

The lyrics make it clear that the "steps" on the stairway are dance steps.

Other recordings

• Sarah Vaughan – Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin (1958)
• Pat Boone on his 1958 album Yes Indeed!
• Frankie Vaughan – Frankie Vaughan at the London Palladium (1959).
• Liza Minnelli – There Is a Time (1966)
• Joel Grey – Only the Beginning (1967).
• Featured on the tribute album The Glory of Gershwin (1994), a compilation of Gershwin tunes produced by "Fifth Beatle" George Martin to honour Larry Adler, a lifelong friend of Gershwin, on his 80th birthday. Issy Van Randwyck performs the song.
• Mark Murphy with the Metropole Orchestra - The Dream (1995)
• Michael Feinstein – ' (1998)
• Nancy Sinatra on her 2013 album Shifting Gears.
• Michael Ball and Alfie Boe – Together (2016)
• Harpers Bizarre – The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre (1968)