River in Reverse discussion

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:17 am

I am not familiar with Allen Toussaint's work. Is Tears, Tears and More Tears the song that Elvis quotes in live versions of Pump It Up? Elvis sings a song of which the chorus (I think) goes

Tears, tears and more tears
Baby won't you please go home
Tears, tears and more tears
Darling you've been gone too long.

Extreme Thomasso - what were you hoping for? Elvis has done fantastic jobs of other artists' material over the years. There's no reason to doubt he will do the same here.

The Gentleman · Post by **The Gentleman** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:54 pm

And No Coffee Table wrote:We must be pretty close to having a complete list of songs:

1. All These Things
2. The River In Reverse (Costello original)
3. Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?
4. Freedom For The Stallion
5. With You In Mind
6. What Do You Want The Girl To Do?
7. Ascension Day (adaptation of Tipitina with new Costello lyrics)
8. Wonder Woman
9. Tears, Tears And More Tears
10. Where Is The Love (Costello/Toussaint original)
11. On The Way Down
12 & 13. at least two more Costello/Toussaint originals

Shaping up quite nicely. Though we may have to knock one of 'em off the list, to be withheld as a Japanese bonus track...

However, I'd think if EC were to record "Wonder Woman", it'd be on the album THAT'S WHAT SUPERFRIENDS ARE FOR.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:18 pm

verbal gymnastics wrote:
Extreme Thomasso - what were you hoping for? Elvis has done fantastic jobs of other artists' material over the years. There's no reason to doubt he will do the same here.

Yes he's done a great job with many, many people...I don't know why I'm kind of nervous about the finished project. Guess I'll have to see for myself. And of course I barely know anything aobut Toussaint...

sabreman · Post by **sabreman** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 1:59 am

I am looking forward to hearing it. I am very interested in how they handle "What Do You Want The Girl To Do?" which is favorite of mine.

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:42 am

Last night on BBC Radio 2 Charlie GilletsWithout Frontiers programme profiled Allen Toussaint. No mention of Elvis, it was probably taped a while ago. Good to see Charlie still showing the good taste he showed back when he helped break Elvis.

Here's what he played, unfortunately it doesn't seemed to have been archived for web streaming.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/gille ... list.shtml

TITLE: I Like It Like That
ARTIST: Chris Kenner
YEAR: 1961

TITLE: Mother In Law
ARTIST: Ernie K-Doe
YEAR: 1961

TITLE: Ruler Of My Heart
ARTIST: Irma Thomas
YEAR: 1963

TITLE: Working In A Coal Mine
ARTIST: Lee Dorsey
YEAR: 1966

TITLE: Hercules
ARTIST: Aaron Neville
YEAR: 1973

TITLE: Right Place, Wrong Time
ARTIST: Dr. John
YEAR: 1973

TITLE: Lady Marmalade
ARTIST: LaBelle
YEAR: 1975

TITLE: What Do You Want The Girl To Do?
ARTIST: Allen Toussaint
YEAR: 1992

The Toussaint performance is from this compilation.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000 ... nce&n=5174

sabreman · Post by **sabreman** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:00 pm

>>
TITLE: What Do You Want The Girl To Do?
ARTIST: Allen Toussaint
YEAR: 1992

The Toussaint performance is from this compilation.
>>

This tune was on SN which was released in 1975. I have no idea why that album is out of print.

Hercules is a good one. Perfect for AN. Couldn't see EC doing that one though. LOL!

scielle · Post by **scielle** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:10 pm

Here's an excerpt from the Joe Henry interview:

Interview: Joe Henry on new CD "I Believe To My Soul"
18 January 2006
Fresh Air
TERRY GROSS, host:

GROSS: My guest is songwriter, singer and record producer Joe Henry. The new CD he produced is called "I Believe To My Soul."

The anthology that you just produced, "I believe To My Soul," features some singers from Memphis, some from New Orleans. One of the singers from New Orleans on that CD is Allen Toussaint. And he's one of the key figures that--behind-the-scenes figures in New Orleans rock 'n' roll, early New Orleans rock 'n' roll, and he wrote the songs "Mother-in-Law," "Coal Mine," "Lipstick Traces." And he's a record producer as well. So you've teamed him up on a CD that you're producing right now with Elvis Costello. Now they already knew each other; why did you want to bring them together for a CD?

Mr. HENRY: Well, you know, they've worked together before. I mean, Allen was on a record of Elvis' back in the--I think it's the late '80s--called "Spike." And then Elvis--Allen actually had produced a track for Elvis & The Attractions back in the mid '80s for a Yoko Ono album. So, you know, they have a relationship but had not really seen each other for years to speak of. And I think after the hurricanes happened and Allen relocated to New York where Elvis is living at least part of the time, they kind of renewed their relationship. And Elvis started thinking in terms of, you know, how important Allen was, not just to him but to many of us. And that idea fueled this concept to do a record together which we started just after Thanksgiving of this year, a very quick record. I mean, the whole thing recorded in about 11 days.

GROSS: You started this CD after the hurricane?

Mr. HENRY: Yes. I mean, we started Thanksgiving weekend and recorded for a week in Los Angeles and then a week in New Orleans actually.

GROSS: Where did you record?

Mr. HENRY: One of only two studios that is up and running. It's called Pyetti Street. It's on the edge of the Ninth Ward.

GROSS: And what were you surrounded by? Were there other people around? Was it pretty much deserted?

Mr. HENRY: I don't have words to tell you what New Orleans is like right now. I mean, I'm really glad that we went. It was really important to the project and to Allen that we go. And I can't imagine having finished the record at this point, you know, and having not done, you know, a chunk of it in New Orleans. But I was devastated by what I saw there. I mean, I've worked there a lot in the past, but I had not been there for years. And I thought I had prepared myself for what I was going to see when I went down there, but I had not. So it was a wildly emotional time and--a very productive time but a very emotional time.

GROSS: You've brought a track--the album hasn't come out yet, but you brought a track to play for us. Would you play it for us and introduce it?

Mr. HENRY: Sure. This is a song that Elvis wrote just after the hurricane, I think even, you know, within that first week before this idea for the record came together. But I know he was thinking a lot about Allen and thinking a lot about the devastation that he was seeing on TV the same way we were all seeing it. And the song was called "The River in Reverse," which will be the name of the album as well.

GROSS: OK, so here it is, Allen Toussaint and Elvis Costello, the title track of the forthcoming album "The River in Reverse" produced by my guest Joe Henry.

(Soundbite of song)

GROSS: That was Elvis Costello with Allen Toussaint at the piano singing a song written by Elvis Costello. It's the title track of the forthcoming CD, "The River in Reverse," and it's produced by my guest Joe Henry. Joe, do you know when that CD will be coming out?

Mr. HENRY: In May of '06.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:29 am

Elvis has this uncanny ability to team up with people who I didn't realize were my earlier musical heroes until after he reintroduced them to me...if you follow me, which you probably don't....

It's basically that both Tossaint and Burt Bacharach are, in very different ways, part of the (obnoxious metaphor alert!) DNA of my musical taste through the many amazing recordings they produced that I didn't even realize they were both involved with until long after I first them. It's basically the "he did that one, too?" response.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:27 am

You're talking about Lady Marmalade, aren't you Bob?

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:28 pm

Lady Marmalade may actually be my favorite New Orleans based recording...It may actually be my all-time favorite recording on alternate Wednesdays in February.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:41 am

The Gentleman wrote:
And No Coffee Table wrote:We must be pretty close to having a complete list of songs:

1. All These Things
2. The River In Reverse (Costello original)
3. Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?
4. Freedom For The Stallion
5. With You In Mind
6. What Do You Want The Girl To Do?
7. Ascension Day (adaptation of Tipitina with new Costello lyrics)
8. Wonder Woman
9. Tears, Tears And More Tears
10. Where Is The Love (Costello/Toussaint original)
11. On The Way Down
12 & 13. at least two more Costello/Toussaint originals

I think it's going to be very different. I can't remember all the tracks but they include: Clubland, God give me strength, watching the detectives and favourite hour among other Costello classics (and about 3 or 4 Toussaint ones added). This album reminds me of what Dylan would do in the 70's and 80's (y'know he released a whole bunch of "Live" albums of previous material).

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:38 am

I think you are getting the two upcoming releases (My Flame Burns Blue and River in Reverse) mixed up. The songs you mentioned by name are on My Flame Burns Blue. River in Reverse includes the Toussaint songs and collaborations.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:36 pm

Yes I have MFBB. Those are the songs that I remembered. When's "River in Reverse" expected to be released?

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:23 pm

scielle wrote:GROSS: Joe, do you know when that CD will be coming out?

Mr. HENRY: In May of '06.

Turquoise Pajamas Pt Deux · Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:41 pm

bobster wrote:
scielle wrote:GROSS: Joe, do you know when that CD will be coming out?

Mr. HENRY: In May of '06.

This post became irritatingly confusing, courtesy of EH. Thanks Bobster for injecting reality and humor into it!

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:10 pm

that's what I love about bobster. he's a fountain of malice-free sanity.

(hey! that rhymes! cool on me!)

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:01 am

I thought My Flame Turns Blue was Elvis' debut album in 1977

Oh Alison....my flame turns blue.

And when is May? And 2006?

Turquoise Pajamas Pt Deux · Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:43 am

I can't wait until This Year's Sausage comes out. I think it will have Born In The USA and some collaboration with Spandau Ballet. Anyone know anything about this?

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:21 am

Hell it might not be a "Legal" copy but I have it. I won't ruin it for you guys but e-mail me if you would like to know about it

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:04 am

Thanks for the kind offer but personally I'll wait.

Incidentally - I take it "guys" is a collective term for males and females. I wouldn't want the ladies to miss out because of discrimination.

And anyway, it'll give them something to listen to whilst they do the washing up

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:35 am

Earlier I posted

'Fortune Teller' is also a likely inclusion , even though Elvis merely mentions it as a song that he only later learnt was by Toussaint.

Though this song is credited to' Naomi Neville', I've learnt that was Allen Toussaint's mother-in-law's name, a name Allen , apparently , used as a credit now and then.

FORTUNE TELLER (Naomi Neville)

Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

I went to a fortune teller
To have my fortune read
I didn't know what to tell her
I had a dizzy feeling in my head

Then she took a look at my palm
She said sonny you feel kind of warm
She looked into her crystal ball
She said you're in love

I said how could that be so
I'm not tight with none of the chicks I know
She said before the next sunrise
You'll be looking into her eyes, and I said...

Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

I left there in a hurry
Lookin' forward to my big surprise
The next day I discovered
That the fortune teller told me a lie

I hurried back down to that woman
Mad as I could be
I told her I didn't see nobody
Why she made a fool of me

Then something struck me
As if it came from up above
While looking at the fortune teller
I fell in love

Now I'm a happy fella
I'm married to the fortune teller
We're happy as we can be
Now I get my fortune told for free

Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
[repeat]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elvis was probably familiar with ex-Searcher Tony Jackson's version -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 28-2575152

Watch Your Step [the Anthology 1964-1966]
The Tony Jackson Group (Artist)

Audio CD (August 9, 2004)

Number of Discs:1
Label: Castle
ASIN: B0001O3WK0
Catalogue Number: CMQCD892

wardo68 · Post by **wardo68** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:46 am

johnfoyle wrote:Earlier I posted

'Fortune Teller' is also a likely inclusion , even though Elvis merely mentions it as a song that he only later learnt was by Toussaint.
Elvis was probably familiar with ex-Searcher Tony Jackson's version...

Roger Daltrey introduces the song (on the remastered 'Live At Leeds' CD) by saying that the audience might be familiar with the song from versions by Benny Spellman, The Rolling Stones, The Merseybeats and Wayne Fontana. EC might have heard any or all of those.

sabreman · Post by **sabreman** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:05 pm

>>Though this song is credited to' Naomi Neville', I've learnt that was Allen Toussaint's mother-in-law's name, a name Allen , apparently , used as a credit now and then.

>>

Yes this is true. I also mentioned it a ways back in the thread.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:00 pm

verbal gymnastics wrote:Thanks for the kind offer but personally I'll wait.

Incidentally - I take it "guys" is a collective term for males and females. I wouldn't want the ladies to miss out because of discrimination.

And anyway, it'll give them something to listen to whilst they do the washing up

What am I also sexist now?

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:45 pm

Extreme Honey wrote:
verbal gymnastics wrote:Thanks for the kind offer but personally I'll wait.

Incidentally - I take it "guys" is a collective term for males and females. I wouldn't want the ladies to miss out because of discrimination.

And anyway, it'll give them something to listen to whilst they do the washing up
What am I also sexist now?

Who can say whether you are sexist or not, but you do have a fabulous sense of humor.