Most people in the U.S. love their music. From ancient times, this has been how people have entertained themselves. Many people would say that music is good for the soul, except for those songs marked EXPLICIT. What most people do not realize, however, is the fact that many of them have hidden messages. No matter how hard, you try, you will not normally be able to figure out what they are unless you play it backwards. This technique is called backmasking. This was said to have been introduced by the Beatles; who used backward vocals and instrumentation on their 1966 album Revolver; Led Zeppelin, in Stairway to Heaven, also used this. If played backwards during the lyrics: "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring clean for the may queen. Yes there are two paths you can go by; but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on," some listeners claim to hear: "Here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad whose power is Satan. He'll give those with him 666. There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.” This case went to a hearing, where the song was played backwards. Led Zeppelin denied putting satanic messages into their song; Robert Plant said, “To me it's very sad, because 'Stairway to Heaven' was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music."
The controversy over whether backmasking is ethical still rages, will go on for ages.