Listen: 'Taurus' by Spirit in the left speaker, and 'Stairway to Heaven' in the right.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant have appeared in court to defend against accusations their song 'Stairway to Heaven' was ripped off another band.
'Taurus', an instrumental song released in 1967 by the band Spirit, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Led Zeppelin classic, which came out in 1971.
The two bands toured together in the late 1960s, which is where Michael Skidmore -- a trustee for the late Randy Wolfe, who wrote 'Taurus' -- says Page and Plant would have heard it.
His lawyer Francis Malofiy told an eight-person jury in Los Angeles Wolfe wrote the song for "the love of his life".
"Little did anyone know it would fall into the hands of Jimmy Page and become the intro to 'Stairway to Heaven.'"
Page and Plant's legal team are arguing the "descending chromatic" melody in both songs' opening bars is a "commonplace" musical device that "goes back centuries" and is not protected by copyright.
"Do re mi appears in both songs," attorney Peter Anderson also told the court.
Taurus album cover from 1968
'Taurus' is an instrumental track not much longer than two-and-a-half minutes, while 'Stairway to Heaven' is eight minutes, and veers from a folk-style intro to hard rock and a shredding guitar solo.
The plaintiff isn't arguing the songs are identical, but that 'Taurus' formed the basis of the first half of 'Stairway to Heaven'.
"When you hear those first iconic notes of 'Stairway to Heaven,' it's instantly recognisable," said Mr Malofiy.
Led Zeppelin IV, on which 'Stairway to Heaven' appears
'Stairway to Heaven' is one of the most successful songs of the past half-century, often topping polls of the greatest rock songs.
Wolfe died in 1997 while trying to save his drowning son.
It's not the first time Led Zeppelin has been accused of taking others' music and passing it off as their own -- they've been accused in the past of stealing the classics 'Dazed and Confused', 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Since I've Been Loving You' as well.
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