Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint - Ascension Day video free download

Jeff Rogers

Elvis, who had first worked with Alan Toussaint in '86, was one of the first artists to record in New Orleans after Katrina, and this is one of the songs that appeared on "River in Reverse". Just practicing, nothing formal, and it sounds this good..

purplemascara99

Yessss!!!

petranochka

musical genius.

Larry Harris

You are absolutely correct. I knew it was similar to Fess , but most N.O. piano players play that style. I did not recognize the slowed down version of Tipitina. I had googled the lyrics , and they had misspelled the co-writer as "Bird" , so even then I didn't put two and two together. I have since seen a video of Elvis on a talk show where he says it's a re-worked version of Tipitina.

chadwick crawford

@LJH70122 "Someone called Bird" is Henry Roeland Byrd, better known as Professor Longhair, upon whose "Tipitina" this song is based.

Larry Harris

@spongebobnik I don't know Allen. He likes to walk through the festival grounds at Jazzfest like anyone else. He's real down-to-earth , very approachable and a very nice guy. He seems to enjoy discussing music and his songs in particular. Lots of people meet and greet with him and take pictures , etc. I saw him just before he played with Tom Jones. It seems like he knows everybody in the music busines.

spongebobnik

@LJH70122 Thanks for that inside information LJH. We can guess and interpret all we want but it's always interesting to hear from the lyricist himself. You're lucky to know Mr. Toussaint.

Larry Harris

@LJH70122 As promised , I had that discussion with Mr. Toussaint today.He says basically that Ascension Day does refer to the religious holy day , but is a metaphor for one's own spiritual awakening and "ascension" to a higher place , spiritually. But , it is not a reference to the rapture ,specifically, but he does acknowledge that with the post-apocolyptic state of the city in those days , that vibe was certainly there and understands how the lyrics could be interpreted that way .

Larry Harris

@spongebobnik I googled the lyrics to this song and it's all kind of Dylan-esque , poetic imagery stuff , not coming out and saying what you mean , but offering suggestions of what you mean Co-written by Elvis , Allen and somebody named Bird. It does contain a line that references "40 days later" , which refers to Ascension Day being 40 days after Easter. I usually run into Toussaint at Jazzfest. He's quite approachable. I will ask him next time I see him what it means.

spongebobnik

@LJH70122 Yes, if that is the day he's referring to, then it is not Ascension Day (ascension of Christ), but the Rapture, which you described. I think your second reading is closer to that because the lyrics say the saints are ascending. It also ocurred to me that this day (the Rapture) may be the same day in the spiritual "When the saints go marching in."

Larry Harris

@spongebobnik I am correcting myself . After listening to the lyrics more closely , the song seems to be about the Apocolypse , and OUR ascension day. As , in "when the Saints go marching in". The term "saints" is applied to those who are true belivers in Jesus Christ , and they will rise up to heaven just as He did. This song is apparently about that.

Larry Harris

@spongebobnik I don't hear the connection in the lyrics , either , but Ascension Day is the day that Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection. It's a big deal holy day in the Catholic church. Toussaint , who wrote the song is , like most New Orleans Creoles , a devout Catholic.

spongebobnik

What do the lyrics mean? There is a 2007 film about a slave rebellion in 1831 and it is entitled Ascension. Otherwise the only reference I can find is to the Ascensioin of Jesus.

deborahsuewho

mine too.

spongebobnik

Elvis gets better with age. This is a really fine collaboration with Toussaint. Like it.

Brent Bowers

Elvis just has such a pleasing tone. He's easily my favorite male vocalist.