"Up The Ladder To The
Roof"
(written by F. Wilson and V. DiMirco)
Recorded by The Supremes (Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong, and Jean Terrell)
#10 pop; 10 weeks on the pop charts
#5 r&b; 13 weeks on the r&b charts
Single produced by Frank Wilson
from Motown album #705 Right On (1970)
Lead: Jean Terrell
Come with me
And we shall run across the sky
And il-lum-inate 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
Where we can see heaven much better
Come up the ladder to the roof
Where we can be
MARY:
Where we can be
CINDY:
Where we can be
Closer to heaven
(to heaven stay)
Stay with me
And we shall let expression sing
ALL:
Hear freedom's virtues ringing
Jean:
Can't you hear 'em ringing?
(Background echoes): Ringing!
Oh, oh, oh
ALL:
Memories of yesterday
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
Go up the ladder to the roof
Where we can be
MARY:
Where we can be
CINDY:
Where we can be
Closer to heaven
INTERLUDE
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 will travel the roads
To the fountain of loveliness
I will never, never ever
Leave you, leave you alone to wander
As we go on, our love, it will grow
(It will grow)
Much stronger and stronger
Don't you want to go
Up the ladder to the roof
Where we can see heaven much better, ooh!
Up the ladder to the roof
Where we can be closer to heaven, oh
Up the
(Up the)
Ooh-ooh up the
(Up the)
Oh, come on and walk
(walk)
Come on and talk
(talk)
Come on and sing about love and understanding
(Ooh-ooh-ooh)
Up the ladder to the roof
Ooh-ooh-ooh
(See heaven much better)
Ooh-ooh-ooh
(Oh, up the ladder to the roof)
Ooh-ooh-ooh
(Be closer to heaven)