Music Legends - Featured Artist Van Morrison

Van Morrison a singer, songwriter or a poet? Or all of these?. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but to my mind his music is timeless, especially his early works.

Born 31 August 1945 in Belfast Northern Ireland, George Ivan Morrison was in his late teens when he started playing an array of instruments with various Irish Bands covering popular songs of the time. He gained recognition in the mid-sixties when the lead singer for Them, with whom he recorded the classic ‘Gloria’.

The original 1964 GLORIA …. How many have covered this song over the decades

He started his solo career using the name Van Morrison (under agent Bert Berns, who managed Them) releasing his first single in 1967, the ever enduring Brown Eyed Girl

After Bert Berns passed away in late 1967, Warner Brothers bought out his contract and the first album released was Astral Weeks. Initially this was rather poorly received and I can sort of understand why when one considers the music that was really trending around that time (read some of the Music Legends I have been covering. They are from the same time period).

1970 release of Moondance firmly established Van Morrison as a major musical influence and with that Astral Week attracted more critical acclaim

Opening lyrics from Astral Week, poetry? Me, I say yes……. You make up your mind, but please listen to the song as well

If I ventured in the slipstream
Between the viaducts of your dream
Where mobile steel rims crack
And the ditch in the back roads stop

Could you find me?
Would you kiss-a my eyes?
To lay me down in silence easy
To be born again, to be born again

From the far side of the ocean
If I put the wheels in motion
And I stand with my arms behind me
And I'm pushin' on the door
Lyrics from

Original Astral Week …. No video so one can focus on the music

Also from Astral Weeks the mysterious Madam George

Down on Cyprus Avenue, with a childlike vision leaping into view
Clicking, clacking of the high heeled shoe
Ford and Fitzroy, Madame George
Marching with the soldier boy behind

He's much older with hat on drinking wine
And that smell of sweet perfume comes drifting through
The cool night air like Shalimar
And outside they're making all the stops
The kids out in the street collecting bottle tops

Gone for cigarettes and matches in the shops
Happy taken Madame George, that's when you fall
Whoa, that's when you fall, yeah, that's when you fall
When you fall into a trance
Lyrics from

I just LOVE this song, even though I cannot claim to understand it. The discreet use of the violin supplementing Morrison’s voice is understated but magic.

To my mind this album indicates some depth to young Van Morrison’s character

Moondance

Morrison continued recording and doing live music throughout the decades, releasing as far as I can see 36 albums up to 2016. His recognition from his peers have been SIX Grammy’s, Brit Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution To Music', inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Van Morrison Rock and Roll?

In 2008 Van Morrison performed the entire Astral Weeks album Live… the first time since 1968.. four decades after it’s release

Ballerina live, and for those who wish… the entire album is on that thread

Some quotes from more eloquent and insightful persons than I

Astral Weeks is about the power of the human voice – ecstatic agony, agonising ecstacy. Here is an Irish tenor reborn as a White Negro – a Caucasian Soul Man – pleading and beseeching over a bed of dreamy folk-jazz instrumentation: acoustic bass, brushed drums, vibes and acoustic guitar, the odd string quartet – and of course flute.
–Barney Hoskyns – Mojo[74]
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Morrison#Discography

In February this year Prince Charles knighted him for his contribution to music, as well as for his charitable works in Northern Ireland

I am so thrilled I started these blogs as I am rediscovering the joy again, that I experienced at the time when the music was released. Listening to Madam George I got huge goosebumps

Thanks for reading !! (and hopefully listening)
Credits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Morrison
And of course Youtube

I am featuring artists from the 60’s and 70’s from diverse genre’s over the next few months. If you love music … FOLLOW and take the journey with me..it is going to be one thrilling ride !! Furthermore I will only be featuring artists from MY vinyl collection, and I shall start all of the posts with a photo of an album cover to authenticate

This post only requires Steem Power

Previous Music Legends
Leonard Cohen
The Doors
Bob Dylan
The Rolling Stones
60’s Protest Artists
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
Neil Young
Deep Purple
Led Zeppelin