Mavis Staples – “Action” + “Jesus Lay Down Beside Me”
Mavis Staples’ new album, Livin’ On A High Note, comes out at the end of the week, and it looks like they’re going into promotional overdrive for its release. We just heard the Justin Vernon and M. Ward-penned “Dedicated” yesterday, and now we have another one written for the legendary singer, this time from tUnE-yArDs’ Merrill Garbus. It’s called “Action” and here’s what Garbus had to say about the track in a press release:
I am stunned that Mavis Staples is singing a song that I had a part in—stunned and honored. She is the coolest, the bravest, and a role model for me in terms of being a humble, generous performer. I wanted to write what she asked for: an upbeat, danceable song, but which also honored the Staples Singers’ tradition of songs that are relevant to right now, and which might inspire audiences to be brave themselves.
Listen via The Fader below.
UPDATE: There’s another new Staples track in advance of the album’s release, this one written by Nick Cave. Listen to it via Pitchfork below.
Livin’ On A High Note is out 2/19 via Anti-.