The origins of the Nylons date back to 1978 when four experienced Toronto stage actors, Connors, Cooper, Morrison, and Simpson, used to get together in the back of a delicatessen to sing doo-wop together. They took their ensemble to parties and friend's houses and constant comments from people convinced them to take their unique a cappella act into the clubs. An acquaintence met at a party was about to open a new cabaret and invited them to debut there. They played there for six weeks, garnering rave critical and audience reviews. In 1979 Simpson retired from the group and Cole was brought on board. They very quickly established themselves as one of the area's classiest and most original ensembles and caught the attention of Attic Records. Their first album eventually went platinum in Canada (100,000 copies), and there followed four more releases on Attic that all sold at least gold in Canada (50,000 copies). They received the equivalent of a Dutch Grammy award and a gold disc for the One Size Fits All album and the Best Singer Award at 1986's Tokyo Music Festival. In 1987 Disney used their song That Kind Of Man in their feature The Tin Man, and their version of Up The Ladder To The Roof was used in the movie Made In Heaven. They also scored a second appearance on the Taft Broadcasting television show Throb after writing the theme song and a previous appearance on the program. In February 1991 founding member Connors left the group and in March of that year died of viral pneumonia. A new deal in 1991 with Scotti Brothers in the US and BMG in Canada saw the release of three more albums, and constant touring on either side of the border. Over the years various member changes have led to today's lineup of Morrison, Robinson, Mosbaugh, and Cassius. In 1997 they signed with Shoreline Records in the US, a label primarily devoted to vocal groups, and released the Fabric Of Life. Today they continue to tour the world to audience and critical acclaim.
Singles
1982 The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Attic) 1983 Silhouettes (Attic) 1983 That Kind Of Man (Attic) 1984 Take Me To Your Heart (Attic) 1984 Perpetual Emotion (Attic) 1984 Stepping Stone (Attic) 1984 Combat Zone (Attic) 1987 Kiss Him Goodbye (Attic) 1987 Happy Together (Attic) 1987 Chain Gang (Attic) 1989 Wild Fire (Attic) 1989 Drift Away (Attic) 1991 Call My Name (Attic) 1991 One Fine Day (Attic) 1992 Don't Look Any Further (Scotti Brothers)
Albums
1982 The Nylons (Attic) 1982 One Size Fits All (Attic) 1984 Seamless (Attic) 1987 Happy Together (Attic) 1989 Rockapella (Attic) 1991 Four On The Floor (Attic) 1992 Live To Love (BMG) 1993 Illustrious: A Collection Of Classic Hits (Attic) 1994 Harmony - The Christmas Songs (BMG) 1994 Because... (BMG) 1996 Run For Cover (BMG) 1997 Fabric Of Life (Shoreline) 1997 Perfect Fit (Windham Hill) [re-release of 1993's Illustrious]
Marc Connors (baritone; RIP 1991) Paul Cooper (tenor) Claude Morrison (tenor) Dennis Simpson (bass) Ralph Cole (bass; replaced Simpson 1979) Arnold Robinson (bass; replaced Cole 1981) Micah Barnes (tenor; replaced Cooper 1991) Billy Newton-Davis (baritone; replaced Connors 1992) Garth Mosbaugh (tenor; replaced Barnes 1994) Gavin Hope (baritone; replaced Newton-Davis 1994) Mark Cassius (baritone; replaced Hope 1997)
Up the Ladder to the Roof
The Nylons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and we shall run across the sky,
illuminate the night
Oh I will try and guide you
to better times and brighter days
Don't be afraid to go
CHORUSUp the ladder to the roof,
where we can see heaven much better.
Oh up the ladder to the roof,
where we can be
closer to heaven.
Stay with me, stay with me,
stay with me and we shall let expression ring.
Hear freedom in our singin'.
Oh memories, broken dreams,
don't you know, don't you know,
they all fade away.
If you go
CHORUS
Relax, I'll tell you the story of love,
how it is, the happiness in it baby.
We'll combine our thoughts
and together we'll travel
To the fountain of loveliness
I will never never ever leave you
alone to wander, honey,
if you go along
Our love is gonna grow much stronger,
so much strongerDon't you wanna go (4x)
up the, up the, up the, up the ladder to ( 2x)
heaven!
The Nylons's song, Up the Ladder to the Roof, is a song about love, hope, and the promise of better days. The lyrics, "Come with me, come with me, and we shall run across the sky, illuminate the night," encourages the listener to join the singer in a journey of hope, where they can find better times and brighter days. The song also talks about the power of love and how it can overcome anything, even broken dreams and memories. The chorus invites the listener to join the singer in climbing up the ladder to the roof, where they can be closer to heaven, suggesting that through love and hope, we can bring ourselves closer to a better world.
The lyrics are filled with imagery that suggests a better, happier world. The line, "Oh memories, broken dreams, don't you know, they all fade away," represents the idea that although we may have had painful experiences in the past, they can fade away just like memories. The line, "Hear freedom in our singing," suggests that through song and expression, we can find freedom from our troubles. Another interesting aspect of the lyrics is the use of the phrase "up the ladder to the roof" as a metaphor for reaching a higher level of consciousness and enlightenment through love and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Come with me, come with me,
Join me on a journey.
and we shall run across the sky,
We will chase our dreams and discover new possibilities.
illuminate the night
We will bring light to the darkness.
Oh I will try and guide you
I will do my best to help you along the way.
to better times and brighter days
We will work towards a happier future.
Don't be afraid to go
Don't let fear hold you back.
CHORUS Up the ladder to the roof, where we can see heaven much better. Oh up the ladder to the roof, where we can be closer to heaven.
Let's climb higher towards our goals and aspirations.
Stay with me, stay with me,
Let's continue on this journey together.
stay with me and we shall let expression ring.
We will be free to express ourselves and our emotions.
Hear freedom in our singin'.
Our singing is a symbol of our freedom and happiness.
Oh memories, broken dreams,
We may have painful memories and lost dreams.
don't you know, don't you know,
However, we must remember that these things will pass.
they all fade away.
Everything in life is temporary.
If you go CHORUS
Relax, I'll tell you the story of love,
Let me share with you the beauty and power of love.
how it is, the happiness in it baby.
It brings us great joy and fulfillment.
We'll combine our thoughts
Let's work together and share our ideas.
and together we'll travel
We'll go on a journey together.
To the fountain of loveliness
We'll seek out the source of love and all that is good.
I will never never ever leave you
I will always be there for you.
alone to wander, honey,
I won't let you face life's challenges alone.
if you go along CHORUS
Our love is gonna grow much stronger,
Our love for each other will continue to flourish.
so much stronger
Don't you wanna go (4x)
Don't you want to achieve greatness and reach for the stars?
up the, up the, up the, up the ladder to ( 2x)
Let's climb higher and higher towards our dreams and goals.
heaven!
Let's create our own heaven on earth.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@garydunn3868
Claude is the only surviving original. God bless him for keeping The Nylons alive!
@JohnsonBmoris-br8nj
How are you doing today..?😊
@otisthecanadianbulldog2400
Ottawa Ontario Canada I have my personay autographed album from all the guys. 1983 Here's to Steve & Gordie. Our day will come in another time another place. Oh, how time goes by. I wont keep you waiting much longer.🙋♂️
@guibox3
As they advertised themselves in the concert I saw, they truly were the original 'boy band'. No 4 or 5 part group comes close to what the Nylons of the 80s were like! Their music just takes me back when I was young and singing, trying to sing like them. Awesome!!
@MyMagic111
@LittleDragon2000 I saw The Nylons back in '79 or '80 in Vancouver, BC when they were first starting out. We were just amazed by their talent. After the first song, one forgot that there were no back up instruments. I been a fan of theirs ever since.
@marielevine7757
Many Many years ago I was on a ski trip in Banff Canada, and found out that "The Nylons" were doing a show in Calgary, an hour away, so we drove in for the show. "The Nylons" did not disappoint of course. Then, when flying from Calgary back home to Ottawa the "The Nylons" were on my flight! The second the fasten seat belt light was out, I rocketed out of my seat and went to meet all of the group and get their autographs on my in-flight magazine. What a thrill that was for me!
@JohnsonBmoris-br8nj
Hello how are you doing today..?😊
@bobdignan2798
They were incredibly nice guys, and I've yet to find any other entertainer who was so generous to their fans. Met them a couple of times, and never took that for granted.
@ernielightning3218
I’m envious and happy for you meeting them in person.
1985 my family piled into the station wagon and drove to their concert. None of my friends had heard of them until a few years later when Rockapella came storming on the airwaves…Marc and Arnold were my favorites
@delaide8832
I saw them at the Adelaide festival in Australia and fell in love with them all. Now they're sadly not together 😢