Van Morrison
George Ivan Morrison OBE (generally known as Van Morrison) is a Grammy Award-winning Northern Irish singer, songwriter, author, poet and multi-instrumentalist, who has been a professional musician since the late 1950s. He plays a variety of instruments, including the guitar, harmonica, keyboards, drums, and saxophone. Featuring his characteristic growl — a unique mix of folk, blues, Irish, scat, and Celtic influences — Morrison is widely considered one of the most unusual and influential vocalists in the history of rock and roll. Critic Greil Marcus has gone so far as to say that "no white man sings like Van Morrison."
Known as "Van the Man" by his fans, Morrison first rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Northern Irish band Them, penning their seminal 1964 hit "Gloria". A few years later, Morrison left the band for a successful solo career.
Morrison has pursued an idiosyncratic musical path. Much of his music is tightly structured around the conventions of American soul and R&B, such as the popular singles "Brown Eyed Girl", "Moondance", "Into The Mystic","Domino" and "Wild Night". An equal part of his catalogue consists of lengthy, loosely connected, spiritually inspired musical journeys that show the influence of Celtic tradition, jazz, and stream-of-consciousness narrative, such as his classic album Astral Weeks and lesser known works such as Veedon Fleece and Common One. The two strains together are sometimes referred to as "Celtic Soul".
Morrison's career, spanning some five decades, has influenced many popular musical artists. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2000, Morrison ranked #25 on American cable music channel VH1's list of its 100 greatest artists of rock and roll, and in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Van Morrison 42nd on their list of The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Paste Magazine ranked him 20th in their list of 100 Greatest Living Songwriters in 2006 and Q Magazine ranked him 22nd on their list of 100 Greatest Singers in April 2007.
“And I want to rock your gypsy soulJust like way back in the days of oldAnd magnificently we will fold into the mystic”
“I miss you so much, I can't stand itFeels like my heart is breaking in twoMy head says no, but my soul demands itAnd everything I do, reminds me of you”
“She's as sweet as tupelo honey,She's an angel of the first degree.- Tupelo Honey”
“And I will stroll the merry wayAnd jump the hedges firstAnd I will drink the clearClean water for to quench my thirstAnd I shall watch the ferry-boatsAnd they'll get highOn a bluer oceanAgainst tomorrows skyAnd I will never grow so old againAnd I will walk and talkIn gardens all wet with rainOh sweet thing, sweet thingMy, my, my, my, my sweet thingAnd I shall drive my chariotDown your streets and cryHey, it's me, I'm dynamiteAnd I don't know whyAnd you shall take me stronglyIn your arms againAnd I will not rememberThat I even felt the pain.We shall walk and talkIn gardens all misty and wet with rainAnd I will never, never, neverGrow so old again.Oh sweet thing, sweet thingMy, my, my, my, my sweet thingAnd I will raise my hand upInto the night time skyAnd count the starsThat's shining in your eyeJust to dig it all an not to wonderThat's just fineAnd I'll be satisfiedNot to read in between the linesAnd I will walk and talkIn gardens all wet with rainAnd I will never, ever, ever, everGrow so old again.Oh sweet thing, sweet thingSugar-baby with your champagne eyesAnd your saint-like smile....- Sweet Thing”
“Music is spiritual. The music business is not.”
“Stepping lightly, just like a ballerina.”
“Once in a blue moon someone like you comes along.”
“When it's not always raining there'll be days like this. When there's no one complaining there'll be days like this. When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch. Well my mama told me there'll be days like this. ”
“I just wanna get on with the show.”
“It's a marvelous night for a moondance!”
“Spiritual hunger and spiritual thirstBut you got to change itOn the inside firstTo be satisfied”
“And I shall watch the ferry boats, and they'll get high, On a bluer ocean against tomorrow's sky,And I will never grow so old again,And I will walk and talk, in gardens all wet with rain.- Sweet Thing”
“Hark, now hear the sailors cry, Smell the sea, and feel the sky,Let your soul & spirit fly, into the mystic.- Into the Mystic”