The Great Ascension

Album: East (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The first single from Justin Rutledge's seventh album East was inspired a little by the television show, The Leftovers.
    In our interview with Rutledge, he explained the influence the show had on this song. "It's a pretty great series about two percent of the world's population disappearing," he said. "No one knows what the f--k is going on and there's no proof. There's no meaning behind it. People are searching for some sort of reason why this happened but there is none.
    It got me thinking about what we're searching for, and I don't like to get grandiose in my songs. I don't like to preach. I don't like to talk about larger things. I like to talk about the small details, but this song is one of the broader strokes that I've toyed with, I guess.

    I initially thought it was about religion but then it came to mean more than that to me. The search for meaning can be through religion but it can also be through art and tapestry. It can be through prayer but it can also be through music and sport. It's whatever provides you with that sense of belonging. So that's just what the song is about: how we're all waiting for something, but more importantly, searching for meaning."
  • The Ascension of Jesus in Christianity is found in the New Testament of the Bible. It refers to Jesus being taken up to heaven on the 40th day after his resurrection.

    The Canadian singer and songwriter started writing this song in California in 2014. There was a lot of religious imagery in the area Rutledge was staying, which partly inspired the song.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Angelo Moore of Fishbone

Angelo Moore of FishboneSongwriter Interviews

Fishbone has always enjoyed much more acclaim than popularity - Angelo might know why.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.