Written by: Beck Hansen
Versions:
- Heaven's Ladder
Available on Song Reader.
CreditsJosh Adams: Drums
Beck Hansen: Effects, keyboards, Percussion, Producer, Vocals
Cole Marsden Grief-Neill: Engineer
David Greenbaum: Engineer
Gus Seyffert: Engineer, Producer
Hugo Nicolson: Engineer, Mix
Benji Lysaght: Guitar
Jake Blanton: keyboards
Nate Walcott: Piano - Heaven's Ladder (sheet music version)
Available on Song Reader.
Lyrics:
Heaven's Ladder [Version (a)]:
Look up heaven's ladder
Watch the angels climb down
As if they knew what was the matter
With those down on the ground
Oblivious to danger
Those who walk up on the clouds
They'll tumble down, down on the ground
Where there's nowhere else to go
But only further down into the hole
You could see the whole world
Down below, down below, down below
Where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere
And then you're on your own
Anyone who's learned their lesson
And burned their hand
They'll still look at someone else's
Answers if they can
'Cause cheating's better than guessing
When the answer is that there's none to be had
But you'll still wonder if there's nowhere else to go
But only further down into the hole
You could see the whole world
Down below, down below, down below
Where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere
And then you're on your own
Now that you know how high the hook and ladder goes
From the highest rung down to the lowest low
And now you know that there's nowhere else to go
But only further down into the hole
You could see the whole world
Down below, down below, down below
Heaven's ladder, it only goes
As far as nowhere and then
You're on your own
Look up heaven's ladder
Watch the angels climb down
As if they knew what was the matter
With those down on the ground
Oblivious to danger
Those who walk up on the clouds
They'll tumble down, down on the ground
Where there's nowhere else to go
But only further down into the hole
You could see the whole world
Down below, down below, down below
Where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere
And then you're on your own
Anyone who's learned their lesson
And burned their hand
They'll still look at someone else's
Answers if they can
'Cause cheating's better than guessing
When the answer is that there's none to be had
But you'll still wonder if there's nowhere else to go
But only further down into the hole
You could see the whole world
Down below, down below, down below
Where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere
And then you're on your own
Now that you know how high the hook and ladder goes
From the highest rung down to the lowest low
And now you know that there's nowhere else to go
But only further down into the hole
You could see the whole world
Down below, down below, down below
Heaven's ladder, it only goes
As far as nowhere and then
You're on your own
Heaven's Ladder (sheet music version) [Version (b)]:
Look up heaven's ladder, see the angels climb down
With their eyes all full of stars and their heads in the clouds
Oblivious to danger
With the failure to keep both feet on the ground
And when the sun sets on you, then you go
When you're shackled to the shadow and we're ghosts
You could learn to leave the long lost days alone
Down below, down below where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere, then you're on your own
Anyone who's learned their lesson and burned their hands
They'll steal someone else's answers if they can
'Cause cheating is better than guessing
When the answer is that there's none to be had
And when the sun sets on you, then you go
When you're shackled to the shadow and we're ghosts
You could learn to leave the long last days alone
Down below, down below where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere, then you're on your own
Now that you know how high the hook and ladder goes
From the highest rung down to the lowest low
And when the sun sets on you, then you go
When you're shackled to the shadow and we're ghosts
You could learn to leave the long last days alone
Down below, down below where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere, then you're on your own
Look up heaven's ladder, see the angels climb down
With their eyes all full of stars and their heads in the clouds
Oblivious to danger
With the failure to keep both feet on the ground
And when the sun sets on you, then you go
When you're shackled to the shadow and we're ghosts
You could learn to leave the long lost days alone
Down below, down below where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere, then you're on your own
Anyone who's learned their lesson and burned their hands
They'll steal someone else's answers if they can
'Cause cheating is better than guessing
When the answer is that there's none to be had
And when the sun sets on you, then you go
When you're shackled to the shadow and we're ghosts
You could learn to leave the long last days alone
Down below, down below where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere, then you're on your own
Now that you know how high the hook and ladder goes
From the highest rung down to the lowest low
And when the sun sets on you, then you go
When you're shackled to the shadow and we're ghosts
You could learn to leave the long last days alone
Down below, down below where there's nowhere else to go
Just as far as nowhere, then you're on your own
The Song:
"Heaven's Ladder" is a song found in Beck's Song Reader project.
A year after the book came out, Beck compiled a CD in which various musicians covered his sheet music. "Heaven's Ladder" was the song that Beck himself recorded for the collection (reportedly, because nobody else wanted to do it). It is so far the only recorded Song Reader song that Beck has released a version of (he has played a bunch live). This version was co-produced by Gus Seyffert, who toured with Beck through the Morning Phase tour as one of the guitarists (and played bass on a couple of Beck's non-album songs). It also features a number of prolific session musicians (people who work/tour with Jenny Lewis, The Killers, Father John Misty, Bright Eyes, etc.), none of whom had worked with Beck before (or since).
Backing up what Beck said about none of the famous artists wanting to do this song, the amateur musicians who dove so excitedly into covering Song Reader similarly tackled "Heaven's Ladder" far less than most of the songs. I do not know why exactly, but I take it as being a slightly complex melody, and perhaps less adaptable or malleable than some of the others. Though ironically, Beck changed much of the lyrics from sheet music to recording! Turns out, it is adaptable. That's what Beck wanted people to do to his sheet music.
Still, it is an intriguing song, and has grown on me a lot. Initially, I felt it showed off Beck's songwriting ability, more than the song itself, which is an awkward place for a song to be. But having heard Beck sing it made it feel more natural for me.
The song does seem to be about heaven/angels, at least superficially, but at the same time, it does not appear to be particularly religious. The first verse writes of angels looking down on those on earth, and they're precarious position. A metaphor for judgment? One may tumble down from way up high, and being up there can leave you "on your own." It's lonely at the top, and being up there will end.
Also to note, Beck has written about ladder/rungs before, on "Inside Out."
"Heaven's Ladder" is a song found in Beck's Song Reader project.
A year after the book came out, Beck compiled a CD in which various musicians covered his sheet music. "Heaven's Ladder" was the song that Beck himself recorded for the collection (reportedly, because nobody else wanted to do it). It is so far the only recorded Song Reader song that Beck has released a version of (he has played a bunch live). This version was co-produced by Gus Seyffert, who toured with Beck through the Morning Phase tour as one of the guitarists (and played bass on a couple of Beck's non-album songs). It also features a number of prolific session musicians (people who work/tour with Jenny Lewis, The Killers, Father John Misty, Bright Eyes, etc.), none of whom had worked with Beck before (or since).
Backing up what Beck said about none of the famous artists wanting to do this song, the amateur musicians who dove so excitedly into covering Song Reader similarly tackled "Heaven's Ladder" far less than most of the songs. I do not know why exactly, but I take it as being a slightly complex melody, and perhaps less adaptable or malleable than some of the others. Though ironically, Beck changed much of the lyrics from sheet music to recording! Turns out, it is adaptable. That's what Beck wanted people to do to his sheet music.
Still, it is an intriguing song, and has grown on me a lot. Initially, I felt it showed off Beck's songwriting ability, more than the song itself, which is an awkward place for a song to be. But having heard Beck sing it made it feel more natural for me.
The song does seem to be about heaven/angels, at least superficially, but at the same time, it does not appear to be particularly religious. The first verse writes of angels looking down on those on earth, and they're precarious position. A metaphor for judgment? One may tumble down from way up high, and being up there can leave you "on your own." It's lonely at the top, and being up there will end.
Also to note, Beck has written about ladder/rungs before, on "Inside Out."
Live:
Played live 9 times:
Earliest known live version: May 19, 2013
Latest known live version: July 28, 2014
2013 Song Reader shows
Through the summer of 2013, Beck played various Song Reader events, and even took to doing some of the songs in his own shows. In May, he premiered it at his own show, and then the next night sang it with "The International Space Orchestra," apparently made up of NASA employees (appropriate!). Later in August, he played it 4 times in his own shows (with his band).
The coolest version may have been in November, at a Song Reader event in Los Angeles. Beck sang it with a choir, accompanied by Roger Joseph Manning Jr., who played the GIGANTIC church organ that was part of the venue. Epic.
2014 Morning Phase tour
Beck played "Heaven's Ladder" twice in 2014. This version was based off of (or, identical to) his studio recording of the song, less the sheet music version (as he played it in 2013). One of the versions was filmed as a web exclusive for the TV show, The Colbert Report; the other was played at the show in Atlanta on the day the Song Reader CD was released.
Played live 9 times:
May 19, 2013
May 20, 2013
July 26, 2013
August 1, 2013
August 2, 2013
August 4, 2013
November 24, 2013
July 22, 2014
July 28, 2014
May 20, 2013
July 26, 2013
August 1, 2013
August 2, 2013
August 4, 2013
November 24, 2013
July 22, 2014
July 28, 2014
Earliest known live version: May 19, 2013
Latest known live version: July 28, 2014
2013 Song Reader shows
Through the summer of 2013, Beck played various Song Reader events, and even took to doing some of the songs in his own shows. In May, he premiered it at his own show, and then the next night sang it with "The International Space Orchestra," apparently made up of NASA employees (appropriate!). Later in August, he played it 4 times in his own shows (with his band).
The coolest version may have been in November, at a Song Reader event in Los Angeles. Beck sang it with a choir, accompanied by Roger Joseph Manning Jr., who played the GIGANTIC church organ that was part of the venue. Epic.
2014 Morning Phase tour
Beck played "Heaven's Ladder" twice in 2014. This version was based off of (or, identical to) his studio recording of the song, less the sheet music version (as he played it in 2013). One of the versions was filmed as a web exclusive for the TV show, The Colbert Report; the other was played at the show in Atlanta on the day the Song Reader CD was released.