White Ladder
Studio album by
David Gray
Released27 November 1998[1]
RecordedApril–August 1998
StudioHome studio (London)
GenreFolktronica[2]
Length52:37
Label
Producer
David Gray chronology
Sell, Sell, Sell
(1996)		 White Ladder
(1998)		 Lost Songs 95–98
(2000)
Singles from White Ladder
  1. "This Year's Love"
    Released: 29 March 1999[3]
  2. "Babylon"
    Released: 12 July 1999[4]
  3. "Please Forgive Me"
    Released: 22 November 1999[5]
  4. "Babylon (re-mix)"
    Released: 19 June 2000[6]
  5. "Please Forgive Me (re-mix)"
    Released: 16 October 2000[7]
  6. "This Year's Love (re-issue)"
    Released: 5 March 2001[8]
  7. "Sail Away"
    Released: 16 July 2001[9]
  8. "Say Hello Wave Goodbye"
    Released: 17 December 2001[10]

White Ladder is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter David Gray. It was first released in November 1998 through Gray's own record label, IHT Records, but failed to chart. On 24 April 2000, the album was re-released by Dave Matthews' label ATO Records and debuted at number 69 on the UK Albums Chart, before climbing to number one on 5 August 2001, more than a year later. White Ladder produced five singles, including the hit "Babylon", which ignited interest in the album and shot Gray to worldwide fame. Other singles released from the album were "This Year's Love", "Please Forgive Me", "Sail Away", and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye".

White Ladder spent almost three full years on the UK top 100, consistently charting between May 2000 and March 2003. Its total charting time as of 2020 was 176 weeks,[11] making it one of the longest-charting albums in UK chart history. It was massively successful in Ireland, where it spent six consecutive weeks at number one on the Irish Albums Chart and had sold 350,000 copies by 2002. In 2015, it was still the biggest-selling album of all time in that country.[12] White Ladder was the fifth-best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK, with 2.9 million copies sold.[13] The album has sold over 3 million copies in the UK,[14] making it the country's eleventh-best-selling album of the 21st century[15] as well as the 28th-best-selling album of all time.[16] The record has sold over seven million copies worldwide.[12]

Background

White Ladder was self-financed and recorded in Gray's London flat.[17][12] To support the album, Gray toured the United States with the Dave Matthews Band, with Matthews releasing White Ladder in the United States on his label, ATO, in 2000, as the label's first release.[18] Following the album's success, Gray toured the US and UK extensively between 2000–2001 to promote the record.[19][20]

A hidden track, "Through to Myself", can be found in the pregap of the original 1999 IHT Records release (by rewinding from the start of "Please Forgive Me").[21] 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 that includes a mini-documentary with a live performance of "Babylon", a brief biography, and web links.[22] The Japanese release includes the bonus track "Over My Head", which also appears as a B-side on the 1999 "Babylon" single.[23]

The cover of "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye", originally recorded by Soft Cell, features additional lines from the Van Morrison songs "Madame George" and "Into the Mystic".

Commercial reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[24]
Entertainment WeeklyB[25]
The Guardian[26]
NME6/10[27]
Pitchfork7.9/10[28]
Q[29]
Rolling Stone[30]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[31]

White Ladder was originally released on Gray's own label, IHT Records. It spent six weeks at number one in Ireland, selling 100,000 copies in that time.[32] By September 2001, the album had been certified 20× Platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) for sales of over 300,000 units;[33] it remains the biggest-selling album in that country.[34]

It was only after its re-release in April 2000 on ATO that the album managed to chart in the UK, debuting at number 69 on the UK Albums Chart. On 5 August 2001, sixteen months after the re-release and almost three years after its original publication, it reached number one.[35] White Ladder has spent a total of 175 weeks on the UK Albums Chart.[36] Aside from "Please Forgive Me", which charted at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart, all other single releases charted within the top 20:[36] the re-issued "Please Forgive Me" charted at number 18, and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" and "Sail Away" peaked at number 26. White Ladder was the UK's fifth best-selling UK album of the 2000s.[37] It had sold 2,940,575 units in the UK by 24 July 2011[38] and reached the three-million mark by March 2015. As of October 2019, it is the 11th best-selling UK album of the 21st century.[39]

In the United States, the album peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200, spending a whole year on the chart.[40] It earned Gray a nomination in the United States at the 44th Grammy Awards for Best New Artist.[41]

Reflecting on White Ladder's 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."[42]

In Ireland, White Ladder entered the Irish chart at number 25. 61 weeks later, and for the first time, the album went to number one on 24 January 2000, spending six weeks in that position and subsequently spending much of the next four years in and around the top ten. It remains the best-selling album in the Republic of Ireland. At one stage, it was said that one in every four Irish households had a copy.[43]

Legacy

Gray believes that the success of White Ladder paved the way for "soul-baring" artists such as James Blunt, Ed Sheeran, George Ezra, James Bay, and Tom Walker. In an interview with the Daily Star, he said: "When I started out, a man with a guitar baring his soul wasn't in vogue at all. Suddenly, it's everywhere! [The album's] success came from nowhere, and it changed how the business thought about what music should be. Since then, there have been lots of artists who've taken it on and done their own thing."[44]

Track listing

All tracks written by David Gray, unless otherwise noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Please Forgive Me" 5:35
2."Babylon" 4:25
3."My Oh My"Gray, McClune4:37
4."We're Not Right"Gray, McClune, Polson3:03
5."Nightblindness" 4:23
6."Silver Lining" 6:00
7."White Ladder"Gray, McClune, Polson4:14
8."This Year's Love" 4:05
9."Sail Away" 5:15
10."Say Hello Wave Goodbye"Almond, Ball, Morrison9:03
UK hidden pregap track
No.TitleLength
0."Through to Myself"1:56
US-only bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."Babylon II"3:38
Japanese version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Please Forgive Me" 5:35
2."Babylon" 4:25
3."My Oh My"Gray, McClune4:37
4."We're Not Right"Gray, McClune, Polson3:03
5."Nightblindness" 4:23
6."Over My Head" (bonus track) 4:23
7."Silver Lining" 6:00
8."White Ladder"Gray, McClune, Polson4:14
9."This Year's Love" 4:05
10."Sail Away" 5:15
11."Say Hello Wave Goodbye"Almond, Ball9:03
20th Anniversary Edition (Disc 2)
No.TitleLength
1."Lights of London"4:44
2."Over My Head"4:22
3."Monday Morning"3:28
4."Tired of Me"3:36
5."Roots of Love"4:30
6."Walking in Circles"3:49
7."Through to Myself"1:57
8."Over My Head (Demo)"2:40
9."What on Earth (Demo)"5:04
10."Silver Lining (Demo)"6:13
11."This Year's Love (Demo)"3:58
12."Please Forgive Me (Demo)"5:01

Personnel

  • David Gray – vocals, guitar (1–7 & 9–11), piano (1–3, 6, 8, 9, 11), keyboards (1, 4, 5, 7, 9)
Additional musicians
  • Craig McClune – drums (1–7 & 9–11), vocals (1–7 & 9–11), keyboards (1, 4, 5, 7, 9), bass (2, 5, 8, 9, 11)
  • Tim Bradshaw – keyboards on tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, and 10
  • Simon Edwards – bass on tracks 3, 6, and 10
  • Colm Mac Con Iomaire – violin on track 6
  • Terry Edwards – string arrangements on track 11
Technical personnel
  • Iestyn Polson – producer, engineer, programmer
  • Marius de Vries – additional production and programming on "Sail Away"
  • Steve Sidelnyk – additional programming on "Sail Away"
  • Dave Turner – mastering
  • Donal Dineen – photography
  • Phil Knott – photography

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for White Ladder
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[66] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[67] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[68] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[69] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[70] Gold 100,000*
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 20× Platinum 350,000[12]
Netherlands (NVPI)[71] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[72] 5× Platinum 75,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[73] 10× Platinum 3,017,085[14]
United States (RIAA)[74] Platinum 2,400,000[75]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[76] 3× Platinum 3,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Release history

Country Date Label Format Category no.
United Kingdom 8 March 1999 IHT Records CD IHT CD001
24 April 2000[77] IHT/EastWest CD (re-issue) 8573-82983-2
14 February 2020 IHT 20th Anniversary Edition IHTCD 1912
United States 21 March 2000 RCA/ATO CD (11 tracks/enhanced) 07863 69351-2
Japan 11 October 2000 EastWest/WEA CD (11 tracks) AMCE-7198

References

  1. ↑ "David Gray – White Ladder". genius.com. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  2. ↑ Vincent, Peter (2 July 2014). "Reinvention again rewards David Gray". The Age. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  3. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1999/Music-Week-1999-03-27.pdf (Page 23)
  4. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1999/Music-Week-1999-07-10.pdf (Page 23)
  5. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1999/Music-Week-1999-11-20.pdf (Page 29)
  6. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2000/Music-Week-2000-06-17.pdf (Page 23)
  7. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2000/Music-Week-2000-10-14.pdf (Page 31)
  8. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2001/Music-Week-2001-03-03.pdf (Page 35)
  9. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2001/Music-Week-2001-07-14.pdf (Page 23)
  10. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2001/Music-Week-2001-12-15.pdf (Page 27)
  11. ↑ "OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART RESULTS MATCHING: WHITE LADDER". Official Charts. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Casey, Ruairi (26 April 2015). "Cultural Toolbox: David Gray's White Ladder to success". Newstalk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  13. ↑ "The Noughties' Official UK Albums Chart Top 100". Music Week. London, England: Intent Media: 19. 30 January 2010.
  14. 1 2 Jones, Alan (4 November 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: James Arthur tops albums chart with Back from the Edge". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "Radio 2 reveals the best-selling albums of the 21st Century". BBC. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  16. ↑ Copsey, Rob (4 July 2016). "The UK's 60 official biggest selling albums of all time revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "David Gray". eMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  18. ↑ "David Gray". MTV. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "DavidGray.com". DavidGray.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  20. ↑ "DavidGray.com". DavidGray.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  21. ↑ eeggs.com. "White Ladder (David Gray) Easter Egg – Hidden Track with a Twist". Eeggs.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  22. ↑ "David Gray – White Ladder (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  23. ↑ "David Gray White Ladder Japan Promo CD ALBUM (222673)". Eil.com. 29 August 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  24. ↑ Ikeda, Jaime Sunao. "White Ladder – David Gray". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  25. ↑ Browne, David (15 January 2001). "White Ladder". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  26. ↑ Sweeting, Adam. "David Gray: White Ladder (IHT Records)". The Guardian (14 April 2000): 19.
  27. ↑ Segal, Victoria (14 July 2000). "David Gray – White Ladder". NME. Archived from the original on 17 October 2000. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  28. ↑ Cohen, Ian (21 February 2020). "David Gray: White Ladder (20th Anniversary Edition)". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  29. ↑ "David Gray: White Ladder". Q (167): 118. August 2000.
  30. ↑ Walters, Barry (12 October 2000). "David Gray: White Ladder". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  31. ↑ Randall, Mac (2004). "David Gray". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 344. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  32. ↑ Perrone, Pierre (16 April 2000). "The infinite shades of Gray". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  33. 1 2 Sexton, Paul (22 September 2001). "Hit Single Helps David Gray Raise White Ladder on ATO". Billboard. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  34. ↑ "Top 20: The best-selling albums in Irish history". The Daily Edge. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  35. ↑ "Gray Climbs 'Ladder' To No. 1 In The U.K." Billboard. 6 August 2016.
  36. 1 2 "David Gray". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  37. ↑ "James Blunt records the biggest selling album of decade". BBC News. 29 December 2009.
  38. ↑ "Adele still on top but UK album sales fall to 13-year low". Music Week. Intent Media. 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  39. ↑ White, Jack (12 October 2019). "The UK's Official Top 40 biggest studio albums of the 21st Century". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  40. ↑ "David Gray". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012.
  41. ↑ Pareles, Jon (5 January 2002). "U2 Receives 8 Grammy Award Nominations". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  42. ↑ Day, Elizabeth (15 August 2010). "David Gray: 'I'm trained to wash up'". The Guardian. London.
  43. ↑ "David Gray: From his first gig in Cork to climbing to the top". www.irishexaminer.com. 6 August 2018.
  44. ↑ "David Gray 'paved the way' for artists like Ed Sheeran". Female First. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  45. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – David Gray – White Ladder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  46. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – David Gray – White Ladder" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  47. ↑ "Lescharts.com – David Gray – White Ladder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  48. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  49. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography David Gray". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  50. ↑ "Charts.nz – David Gray – White Ladder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  51. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – David Gray – White Ladder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  52. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – David Gray – White Ladder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  53. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  54. ↑ "David Gray Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  55. ↑ "Year in Focus – European Top 100 Albums 2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 52. 23 December 2000. p. 9. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 19 January 2019 – via American Radio History.
  56. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2000". Official Charts Company. 31 December 2000. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  57. ↑ "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales)". Jam!. Archived from the original on 12 December 2003. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  58. ↑ "Best of Albums 2001". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  59. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2001". Official Charts Company. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  60. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  61. ↑ "Canada's Top 200 Alternative albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on 4 December 2003. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  62. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2002". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  63. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  64. ↑ "UK Year-End Chart 2004" (PDF). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  65. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2005" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  66. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  67. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – David Gray – White Ladder" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  68. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2005". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  69. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – David Gray – White Ladder". Music Canada. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  70. ↑ "French compilation certifications – David Gray – White Ladder" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  71. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – David Gray – White Ladder" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 2 March 2019. Enter White Ladder in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2005 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  72. ↑ "Certifications October 9 2005". radioscope.co.nz. Archived from the original on 1 October 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  73. ↑ "British album certifications – David Gray – White Ladder". British Phonographic Industry.
  74. ↑ "American album certifications – David Gray – White Ladder". Recording Industry Association of America.
  75. ↑ Sexton, Paul (5 September 2009). "All Change". Billboard. p. 44. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  76. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2004". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  77. ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2000/Music-Week-2000-04-22.pdf (Page 26)
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