Founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.
Up The Ladder To The Roof
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we shall run across the sky
And illuminate the night
Oh, oh, oh, I will try and guide you
To better times and brighter days
Don't be afraid
Go up the ladder to the roof
Go up the ladder to the roof
Where we can be (where we can be, where we can be)
Closer to heaven (to heaven, stay)
Stay with me
And we shall let expressions sing
(Please bring our virtues with us)
Can't you hear 'em ringing? (Ringing)
Oh-oh-oh
Memories of yesterdays
Yesterday's broken dreams
Don't you know they'll all fade away
If you'll come
Up the ladder to the roof
Where we can see heaven much better
Come up the ladder to the roof
Where we can be (where we can be)
Oh, closer to heaven
We'll laugh and I'll tell you the story of love
How it is, and the happiness in it baby
We'll combine our thoughts
And together we'll travel the roads
To the fountain of loveliness
I will never, ever, ever leave you
Leave you alone to wonder
As we go on our love, it will grow (it will grow)
Much stronger stronger
Don't you wanna go
Up the ladder to the roof
Where we can see heaven much better
Go up the ladder to the roof
Where we can be closer to heaven
Ah, up the (up the)
Ooh-ooh, up the (up the)
Oh, come on and walk (walk)
Come on and talk (talk)
Come and sing about love and understanding
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Up the ladder to the roof
Ooh-ooh-ooh
See heaven much better
"Up The Ladder To The Roof" is a beautiful love song that reflects the hope and aspirations of lovers in a world that constantly challenges them. The Supremes evoke images of freedom, joy, and hope in this song that encourages people to be bold, to run across the sky and illuminate the night. They also encourage their lover not to be afraid to take the steps necessary to achieve their dreams. The ladder to the roof is a metaphor for the path to success and fulfillment, and the Supremes use it to illustrate that with hard work, dedication, and a sense of adventure, people can reach the heights of their dreams.
The "ladder to the roof" refers to the journey that the lovers must take to reach their aspirations. The verses are an invitation to the lover to join the dreamer in a journey to a better, happier place. The chorus is an encouragement to take that journey, to climb the ladder to the roof, where they can be closer to heaven and see the world from a different perspective. The song invites the lover to dream with them, to imagine a world where love, freedom, and joy reign, and to take the steps necessary to achieve that dream.
Line by Line Meaning
Come with me
Join me and together we'll embark on an adventure.
And we shall run across the sky
We'll soar through the sky as if it was a playground.
And illuminate the night
We'll light up the dark night with our enthusiasm and joy.
Oh, oh, oh, I will try and guide you
I'll do my best to lead and inspire you.
To better times and brighter days
We'll strive to reach a future of positivity and happiness.
Don't be afraid
Fear not, for I am here to support and encourage you.
Go up the ladder to the roof
Let's climb up high and gain a new perspective.
Where we can see heaven much better
We'll have a clearer view of the beauty and wonder of the world.
Where we can be (where we can be, where we can be)
We can exist, thrive and live in the moment.
Closer to heaven (to heaven, stay)
We'll feel closer to true happiness, contentment and peace.
Stay with me
Remain by my side as we tackle the unknown.
And we shall let expressions sing
We'll let our expression and creativity flow freely.
(Please bring our virtues with us)
Let's not forget our morals, principles and values.
Can't you hear 'em ringing? (Ringing)
Can't you hear the sounds of opportunity, hope and discovery all around us?
Oh-oh-oh
A declaration of excitement and anticipation.
Memories of yesterdays
We can reminisce the past and learn from it.
Yesterday's broken dreams
We can acknowledge failures and disappointments, yet not dwell on them.
Don't you know they'll all fade away
Negative memories and experiences will diminish in significance if we focus on the positive.
If you'll come
Join me and let's make the best of every moment.
We'll laugh and I'll tell you the story of love
We'll share happy moments and celebrate the beauty of love.
How it is, and the happiness in it baby
We'll discuss what love means to us and revel in its joy.
We'll combine our thoughts
We'll come together and brainstorm new ideas and solutions.
And together we'll travel the roads
We'll collaborate on a journey to create better futures.
To the fountain of loveliness
We'll find a source of love and beauty in every aspect of life.
I will never, ever, ever leave you
I vow to be a steadfast companion and never abandon you.
Leave you alone to wonder
I won't leave you isolated and confused on this journey.
As we go on our love, it will grow (it will grow)
Together we'll nurture our relationships and watch them flourish.
Much stronger stronger
Our bonds will become more intimate and powerful the longer we spend together.
Don't you wanna go
Are you not excited by the prospect of discovering something new?
Come on and talk (talk)
Join me in conversation and let's explore and ignite our curiosity.
Come and sing about love and understanding
Let's celebrate the beauty and significance of love and knowledge.
Ah, up the (up the)
An expression of excitement and anticipation.
Ooh-ooh, up the (up the)
A repetition of the previous expression.
Oh, come on and walk (walk)
Let's journey together by physically moving and progressing on this adventure.
Up the ladder to the roof
Let's climb higher to reach a greater perspective and outlook on life.
Ooh-ooh-ooh
An expression of excitement and wonder.
See heaven much better
From this higher vantage point, we can witness and perceive the beauty and awe of the world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Frank Edward Wilson, Vincent Dimirco
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sunny Island
The way the backing vocals are meshing with the lead vocal.
So extremely delicate.
The Backing vocals.
How they are backing the lead line, everything is supporting as in paraphrasing.
That is just unreal.
Jean's vocal timbre is very soft and glossy sweet.
I mean like, the whole thing is fabulous. The wardrobe. The lighting.Even the cameraman's work is flawless.
Giali
Jean Terrell really had a voice like no other! The Jean/Mary/Cindy lineup really complemented each others voices really well.
Nancy Dennis
Absolutely agree people tend to forget that creation stopped it one but created many,many more to show man it did not limit itself Jean Terrell was fantastic.
Freddie
Giali, Yes, Jean had a better voice than Diane.
Andro Libre
the Diana Ross-less Supremes.....put out a DAMN good album. Underrated in my opinion
Ian Watkins
Jean Terrell had a fabulous voice!
sp808801 p
I like her more than diana.
Christine Womack
The lead singer did sound really good.
stev al
The harmonizing is beautiful!!
FMHammyJ
RIP Mary Wilson......Thank you for all the joy and pleasure you brought to millions of fans over the years....
LaurenJayne Diamond
Magnificent sound. Rest in peace Mary. G-d bless.