Dez Record Guides: Van Morrison, Part 1 (1967-1980)

As with the Rolling Stones Guide, I will need to break Van the Man up into two posts due to the length of his discography. This Record Guide will probably be actually helpful to many readers. Van Morrison is one of those artists whom almost everyone at least admires. But his discography is immense, and at least up through the mid-1990’s, every record contains at least a couple of great songs. He stands as one of the more uncompromising artists, one who stubbornly follows his vision. 1967-74 is nearly unassailable, some of the most exciting popular music ever produced. After that you can be more selective. But Van always follows his muse, mixing his deep love for R&B, folk music and his Celtic roots, and delivering it through that God given gift of a voice. He is a spiritual explorer through his music.

While not addressed in this Guide, I would also recommend looking into his early band out of Northern Ireland, Them. I haven’t found a satisfactory concise one disc overview, so I’d recommend the exhaustive two disc collection The Story of Them Featuring Van Morrison (compilation) (1997) ****. Van was a wild rock and roller with Them, a force of nature as an aggressive singer. A handful of their tracks are brilliant, such as Van’s garage classic “Gloria” and some of their transformative covers, like “Baby Please Don’t Go” and Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” His early days make his turn as a vocalist of subtlety and expression all the more surprising. I remember a typically strident interview he gave to Rolling Stone at some point in the 80’s, and he claimed that he had not sung rock and roll since the mid-1960’s. Seemed dismissive and egotistical at the time (and it was), but he was also largely correct. What he does is something else entirely. I apologize ahead of time for the length. As much as I try to make these guides concise but substantive, Van requires some explanation.

Blowin’ Your Mind! (1967) ***
The Bang Masters (compilation) (1991/1967) ***
Payin’ Dues (compilation) (1994/1967) ***
Van’s debut as a solo artist was also the record that he had the least artistic control over. In fact, he has largely disavowed it, which is a shame, because there are some good things there (terrible 60’s-era title imposed by record label aside). It does contain the wedding reception perennial “Brown Eyed Girl,” but mostly it is full of spirited (if a bit tamer than his Them days) R&B/folk tunes. The real gem here, though, is the harrowing, guilt-ridden epic, “T.B. Sheets.” That track points the way ahead for Van as an uncompromising artist with his own vision. If you want a fuller picture of these sessions, the Bang Masters collection does the trick. Payin’ Dues is fun, it is the Bang Masters disc, and then the second disc is full of dozens of 90 second (on average) acoustic throwaways. He was so irritated with his record label, that he fulfilled his contractual obligations by delivering a batch of completely unusable songs, by either redoing what is essentially the same song over and over again – “Twist and Shake,” “Shake and Roll,” “Stomp and Scream,” “Scream and Holler,” “Jump and Thump”…you get the idea. Or giving the finger to the label – “The Big Royalty Check,” “Ring Worm,” “You Say France and I Whistle,” “Blow in Your Nose,” “Nose in Your Blow”…those last two cheeky references to the title of his debut that was forced upon him. It is one of the funniest vitriolic tantrums against a record label you will ever hear.


Astral Weeks (1968) *****
Hyperbolic claims to the contrary, very rarely does an album do something that makes it wholly unique in the world of popular music. But AW is wholly unique in the world of popular music. After being at the mercy of the record company suits, Van swore to take total control. He disappeared for awhile and then re-emerged with a baffling song cycle full of intricate character studies and stream of consciousness observations. Grounded by his acoustic guitar, he put together a group of deft jazz musicians (most notably Connie Kay of Modern Jazz Quartet) and recorded this one of kind record. I have no clue what Van is really singing about, but I know that it is beautiful.

Moondance (1970) *****
AW could not be replicated, so Van wisely decided to not even try. Instead, he put together a record as joyous as AW was mysterious. Moondance is where Van’s competing artistic vision and commercial ambitions most seamlessly come together. In its own way, it is as impressive as AW, and much more accessible. AW and Moondance make for a remarkable one-two punch.

His Band and the Street Choir (1970) ****
This sounds like Jackie Wilson singing around the campfire at the beach. Van has never sounded so loose, mixing his love for R&B with an acoustic Gypsy vibe, he delivers a set of 12 tight, concise songs. “I’ve Been Working” is Van at his funkiest, and “I’ll Be Your Lover, Too” is Van at his most starkly romantic.

Tupelo Honey (1971) ***
Much admired by many, I’ve just never been able to get into this record of rustic domestic bliss. “Wild Night” is great, as is “Like a Cannonball.” The title track, of course, is one of the most beautiful songs ever released, it sounds like a church hymn to romantic love. But beyond those three, it doesn’t do much for me. I do see why other people really like it, though.


St. Dominic’s Preview (1972) *****
You’ve got your requisite R&B jubilance, then some catchy Celtic folk, and two extended stream of conscious epics that go deep into the mystic a la Astral Weeks, more accessible but no less captivating (“Listen To the Lion” and “Almost Independence Day.”) All of these songs are top shelf Van, and this is where to head after AW and Moondance, as it is quite eclectic and represents several sides of Van from his most vital period.

Hard Nose the Highway (1973) ***
Quite ambitious (including working with orchestras and choirs), but Van makes some missteps here that he otherwise avoids during this golden era.

It’s Too Late To Stop Now (live) (1974) *****
Van is always hit and miss live. He is either a mesmerizing and adventurous performer or he can be ornery and there only for the paycheck. For this set of shows, he is the former. The setlist dips into his recent catalogue, some Them barnstormers, and a generous set of R&B covers where Van dares to make venerable tunes by Ray Charles, Bobby Bland, Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson all his own. The closing “Cyprus Avenue” is worth the price of admission alone, the way he works with and off the audience (“turn it up!” “it’s turned up already.”) A must for any Van fan.

Veedon Fleece (1974) ****
Some consider this a follow-up to Astral Weeks, and it is sort of that, at least in terms of similarities in sound, instrumentation and stream of consciousness lyrics. Van’s marriage had abruptly ended, and he retreated from California back to Northern Ireland to write this set of intimate songs. A moody record that closes out his most essential period.

A Period of Transition (1977) **
Wavelength (1978) ***
Into the Music (1979) ****
Common One (1980) ***
Van took an unprecedented (for him) three year break after Veedon Fleece, and tentatively came back with the appropriately titled A Period of Transition, a loose and funky outing that is quite minor. He gets more solid footing with Wavelength, which is his most straightforward rock record. The title track is killer. Into the Music is one of his few latterday almost classics. He is more open about his spiritual quest than ever before, and songs like “Bright Side of the Road” and “Full Force Gale” are truly joyous. As a friend of mine commented awhile back, ITM makes him wish that he was religious. I find Common One to be impenetrable.

The rest coming soon in Part II…