Near the end of 1969, Van Morrison was a frustrated man. He already had a hit with the infectious “Brown Eyed Girl,” so stardom was on the way. After his first album, Morrison moved on to abstract jazz/folk with the landmark record, “Astral Weeks.” This album contained a more nuanced Morrison with talented session musicians backing him. The song’s length and mysticism made it hard for mainstream listeners to get into. Eventually, he realized the first two albums were not going to slow him down. It was time for a stylistic evolution.
Flash forward to 1970, Morrison understood that he needed to make something that would be accessible to the average music fan. The result of this was “Moondance,” an album that features multiple images of Morrison on the cover. Rising through the ranks of the music industry, the front image allows listeners to finally see Morrison for who he was.
The album opens with the soulfully ambiguous “And It Stoned Me.” Although the lyrics may sound like a reference to drugs, it’s the story of Morrison’s introduction to jazz through listening to icons like Jelly Roll Morton. The sounds of these influences frequently appear throughout the 38-minute artwork. What follows is the title track, an immortal symbol of eternal love through song. The brass section is smooth and pure, allowing Morrison’s dynamic voice to sentiment the feelings of a strong romance. Morrison and his band take things down with “Crazy Love,” where Morrison sings so softly that the engineers had trouble getting levels when recording this sentimental tune.
“Caravan” and “Into the Mystic” are the two last songs on the first side of the vinyl format and showcase the brass players even more. An amazing live version of “Caravan” can be seen in the 1978 film “The Last Waltz.” Morrison got so into this performance that he started doing intense leg kicks that Eric Clapton once called “the definition of rock and roll.” “Into the Mystic” is a short song that brings out the surrealism of “Astral Weeks” with a more palatable template. It is the perfect song to close out the first half of “Moondance.”
Side B of the vinyl shows a more fun side of the singer-songwriter. “Come Running” is a successful attempt to replicate the sounds of gospel music with an R&B flare. “These Dreams of You” is another plea of love that features a brilliant harmonica playing in the background. It’s hard to hear this song on the radio, making it an underrated gem in many people’s eyes. “Brand New Day” pays homage to the band and their magnum opus, “The Weight.” Morrison recalls that he wrote the song on a beautiful day at his Woodstock home and gained a newfound appreciation towards life. “Everyone” is the penultimate track and features a distinctive clavinet introduction. “Glad Tidings” is a beacon of optimism that Morrison wrote as a hopeful way to view the world. It got popularized when it was used in the TV series “The Sopranos.”
Overall, this album is the one to give someone when asked “Who is Van Morrison?” It contains melodies and hooks that represent Morrison’s effective songwriting alongside talented session musicians. Though some albums may get monotonous after relistening to them over time, “Moondance” just grows fresher and more legendary after every listen.
Image from Van Morrison via YouTube
