White Ladder
Encyclopedia
White Ladder is the multi-platinum selling fourth studio album
by British
singer-songwriter
David Gray
, first released in November 1998. Worldwide sales of the album stand at 7 million.
apartment. To support the album, Gray toured the United States with the Dave Matthews Band
, whose lead singer Dave Matthews
released White Ladder in the United States on his label ATO
in 2000 as the label's first release. Following the album's success, he toured the US and UK extensively between 2000-01 to promote the album.
A hidden track
, "I Can't Get Through to Myself," can be found in the pregap
of the original 1998 IHT Records
release (by rewinding from the start of "Please Forgive Me"). The US CD release does not include the secret track, but instead includes the audio bonus track "Babylon II," as well as an enhanced section which includes a mini-documentary with a live performance of "Babylon," a brief biography and web links. The Japanese release includes the bonus track "Over My Head," which also appears as a B-side on the 1999 "Babylon" single.
in November 1998. However, it was only after its re-release in 2000 on ATO Records and the hit single "Babylon" that it sold 100,000 copies in Ireland
alone, making it number one for six weeks, and it remains the biggest-selling album in Ireland. The album was #1 on the UK Albums Chart
, two years and five months after its original release, spending a total of 151 weeks on the chart. Aside from "Please Forgive Me," which charted at #72 on the UK Singles Chart
, all other single releases charted within the Top 20: the re-released "Please Forgive Me" charted at #18, and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" and "Sail Away" peaked at #26.
In the United States, the album peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200
, spending a whole year on the chart. The album earned Gray a nomination in the United States at the 44th Grammy Awards for Best New Artist.
Reflecting on White Ladders success in 2010, Gray stated: "I still pinch myself when I think about it. That record will be there for ever. It just connected in such a big way with people. [...] It was the period that came after that was difficult. [...] I'm sort of seen as a pop artist. I'm dismissed as slight, I'd say, because of White Ladder."
White Ladder was the fifth best selling UK album of the 2000s. It sold has 2,940,575 units in the UK by July 24, 2011.
" in March 1999 (re-issued in March 2001), "Babylon" in July 1999 (re-issued in June 2000), "Please Forgive Me
" in November 1999 (re-issued in October 2000), "Sail Away
" in July 2001, and the Soft Cell
cover "Say Hello Wave Goodbye
" in December 2001.
, unless otherwise noted.
Additional musicians
Technical personnel
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
David Gray
David Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
, first released in November 1998. Worldwide sales of the album stand at 7 million.
Background
The self-financed album was recorded in Gray's LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
apartment. To support the album, Gray toured the United States with the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, whose lead singer Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
released White Ladder in the United States on his label ATO
ATO Records
According to Our Records was founded in early 2000 by Dave Matthews , Coran Capshaw, Chris Tetzeli, and Michael McDonald as a division of RCA Records...
in 2000 as the label's first release. Following the album's success, he toured the US and UK extensively between 2000-01 to promote the album.
A hidden track
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
, "I Can't Get Through to Myself," can be found in the pregap
Pregap
The pregap on a Red Book audio CD is the portion of the audio track that precedes "index 01" for a given track in the table of contents . The pregap is typically two seconds long and usually, but not always, contains silence...
of the original 1998 IHT Records
IHT Records
IHT Records is a record label founded and owned by David Gray. His breakthrough 1999 album White Ladder was released on the label....
release (by rewinding from the start of "Please Forgive Me"). The US CD release does not include the secret track, but instead includes the audio bonus track "Babylon II," as well as an enhanced section which includes a mini-documentary with a live performance of "Babylon," a brief biography and web links. The Japanese release includes the bonus track "Over My Head," which also appears as a B-side on the 1999 "Babylon" single.
Commercial reception
White Ladder was originally released on Gray's own label IHT RecordsIHT Records
IHT Records is a record label founded and owned by David Gray. His breakthrough 1999 album White Ladder was released on the label....
in November 1998. However, it was only after its re-release in 2000 on ATO Records and the hit single "Babylon" that it sold 100,000 copies in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
alone, making it number one for six weeks, and it remains the biggest-selling album in Ireland. The album was #1 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, two years and five months after its original release, spending a total of 151 weeks on the chart. Aside from "Please Forgive Me," which charted at #72 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, all other single releases charted within the Top 20: the re-released "Please Forgive Me" charted at #18, and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" and "Sail Away" peaked at #26.
In the United States, the album peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, spending a whole year on the chart. The album earned Gray a nomination in the United States at the 44th Grammy Awards for Best New Artist.
Reflecting on White Ladders success in 2010, Gray stated: "I still pinch myself when I think about it. That record will be there for ever. It just connected in such a big way with people. [...] It was the period that came after that was difficult. [...] I'm sort of seen as a pop artist. I'm dismissed as slight, I'd say, because of White Ladder."
White Ladder was the fifth best selling UK album of the 2000s. It sold has 2,940,575 units in the UK by July 24, 2011.
Singles
A total of five singles were released from the album: "This Year's LoveThis Year's Love (song)
"This Year's Love" is a song by singer-songwriter David Gray, taken from his fourth studio album White Ladder. Originally released as the album's first single on 8 March 1999, it was re-issued on 5 March 2001. The single peaked at #20 in the UK Singles Chart.Gray himself makes an appearance in the...
" in March 1999 (re-issued in March 2001), "Babylon" in July 1999 (re-issued in June 2000), "Please Forgive Me
Please Forgive Me (David Gray song)
"Please Forgive Me" is a song by singer-songwriter David Gray, from his fourth album White Ladder. The song was released as the third single on 12" vinyl on 22 November 1999, then re-issued as the fifth single on CD and 10" vinyl on 16 October 2000...
" in November 1999 (re-issued in October 2000), "Sail Away
Sail Away (David Gray song)
"Sail Away" is a song by David Gray. It was released as the fourth single from White Ladder on 16 July 2001. Remixes by Rae and Christian and Biffco were also commissioned and featured on the single formats. The DVD single features live video footage taken from his concert DVD release David Gray:...
" in July 2001, and the Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
cover "Say Hello Wave Goodbye
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" is a song from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by English synthpop duo Soft Cell that was released as a single in 1982 and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart...
" in December 2001.
Track listing
All tracks written by David GrayDavid Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
, unless otherwise noted.
Personnel
- David GrayDavid Gray (musician)David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Additional musicians
- Craig McClune – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals, keyboards, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, producer - Tim Bradshaw – keyboards
- Simon Edwards – bass
- Colm Mac Con Iomaire – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
Technical personnel
- Iestyn Polson – producer, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, programmerProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock... - Marius de VriesMarius de VriesMarius Van Wyk de Vries is an English music producer and composer. He has been behind some of the key albums and soundtracks of recent times, gathering five Grammy nominations, two BAFTAs, and an Ivor Novello award along the way.-Music Producer:...
– additional production on "Sail Away" - Steve Sidelnyk – additional programming on "Sail Away"
- Dave Turner – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Donal Dineen – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Phil Knott – photography
- Quotations at the end of "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" are taken from "Into the Mystic" and "Madam George," written by Van MorrisonVan MorrisonVan Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
.
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | November 1998 | IHT Records IHT Records IHT Records is a record label founded and owned by David Gray. His breakthrough 1999 album White Ladder was released on the label.... |
CD | IHT CD001 |
| 1 May 2000 | IHT/EastWest East West Records East West Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, and operates under WMG's Independent Label Group.-History:... |
CD (re-issue) | 8573-82983-2 | |
| United States | 21 March 2000 | RCA RCA RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor... /ATO ATO Records According to Our Records was founded in early 2000 by Dave Matthews , Coran Capshaw, Chris Tetzeli, and Michael McDonald as a division of RCA Records... |
CD (11 tracks/enhanced) | 07863 69351-2 |
| Japan | 11 October 2000 | EastWest/WEA | CD (11 tracks) | AMCE-7198 |