I know this isnt a very exciting topic...BUT...
Im just curious to know if anyone has heard Prince perform The Ladder in concert.
I absolutely LOVE this song, but Ive never seen him perform it live.
Saw him do it once on the piano on a documentary, but thats it.
Id love for him to break this song out during a concert.

Yeah! The Ladder...

I love this song and IIRC Prince performed it live at Falconer salen in Copenhagen, Denmark 2002. I also saw the concert in Ålborg the day before, I can't remember if Prince played the Ladder here...?

What a great and spiritual song....

ronnwinter said:

Amen! Killer song that deserves more attention then it got. I guess add that to the list.

I agree I would love to see it performed live. Only time have must have been the same documentary at a Lovesxexy concert rehearsal.

trebor67 said:

Yea.. thats the one

i don't recall him playing live at any shows but there is footage of him singing it at the end of the documentary 'Prince Of Paisley Park'. It airs on VH1 occasionally. The footage was taped at a rehearsal if I remember correctly.

HonestMan13 said:

Yes and Eric takes it away so beautifully !!!!

trebor67 said:

It was played at many many ONA shows

It was played at the last Parade show in Japan, among others.

HonestMan13 said:

Pick any ONA show and chances are that he played it.

I agree it's a great song.

Shame most of the fans disagree. No wonder Prince is so screwed up!

pepper7 said:

Prince being screwed up has nothing to do with anybody but Prince.


I don't understand why fans hate The Ladder though. I like the song.
I find it a bit charming. Though I would love to hear it
remastered. That entire album needs remastering.


Even the 'fan remasters' aren't perfect. They're much better than the original
release in sound quality, but still not quite there yet.

HonestMan13 said:

Ah yes, this performance is a tear-jerker, very soulful with some great sax too top it off!

TheVoid said:

Well, it seems to me that there is a connection there.

Just trying to help!

I think it's notable by how few people have responded to this thread.

They probably will now though just to prove a point!
[b][Edited 3/17/10 2:43am]

TheVoid said:

I've never really liked "The Ladder" ... musically, it's a lazy retread of "Purple Rain" and actually, that part of it is fine to me. But it just doesn't really go anywhere. It just sort of plods along the whole way through and when it's over, I'm just completely non-plussed.

That's kind of my feeling about the whole album, though. I realize he wanted to do something "different" than the previous album. Which is fine. Except in reality, he still had one foot stuck in the 1999/Purple Rain sound and the other foot stepping forward into psycho-sexual psychedelia. But even if that's the case, I feel like of all the tracks he was working on that ATWIAD was compiled from, he didn't really make the best choices. Swapping out a few tracks for some outtakes would make this a top-notch album for me. Imagine "She's Always In My Hair" in place of "The Ladder" and "The Dance Electric" in place of "Temptation." or any number of songs, like "A Love Bizarre," "The Screams Of Passion," "Desire," "All Day, All Night" and tell me that it wouldn't make for a stronger album. as it is, the whole thing just kind of peters out, wrapping up with its two least inspired tracks that seem to go on forever.

errant said:

and how would you like to prove this exactly ?

FunkyStrange said:

my ears will suffice

errant said:

Apparently not

errant said:

My point exactly

FunkyStrange said:

you don't hear the similarities between the two songs?

errant said:

To me, the only share a passing similarity--the tempo and drums. The ladder is a gospel song disguised as a rock anthem, but the overall 'feel' to me is more similar to "Do Me Baby" or Moonbeam Levels than Purple Rain. Although, I do see the similarities to Purple Rain, I don't really think The Ladder is a lady 'do over' of the the song, but Prince trying a new direction.
All Prince's 'anthems' are just R&B enhanced variations of Lynard Skynard's Free bird to me anyway though.

errant said:

Apart from the fact they are both for want of a better word 'ballads', I don't hear anything in common between them.

You said 'musically' they were similar. If you really are talking 'musically' compare The Ladder And Temptation - because they are exactly the same track, same chords, same chord progression - it is the same song, except for the fact they are about totally opposite things..

Unless of course you didn't mean 'musically'.

really? I'm the only one that hears it? hmmm. well, okay then. enjoy your Ladder while I go take a nap.

I remember when I heard the ladder for the first time I thought, heres the Purple Rain of the album.

That said, I think The Ladder is superior to Purple Rain.

TheVoid said:

what a beautiful picture, and he always smash the picture.....everytame