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Rating:
Two years earlier, he had surprised critics and audiences with that unstoppable stream of thoughts in music and words called "Astral Weeks," which at the time wasn't a sales champion but would later become one of those albums that leave an indelible mark in the history of music. Logic would have suggested a cloning attempt, but luckily Van Morrison never got along too well with logic: the same previous album is proof of this, and the zig-zag turns of his long career would later demonstrate it.
Hence "Moondance" (1970), a masterpiece almost on the level of the previous one, but with a totally different approach: serene, bright, and "complete" as opposed to the agitated, deep, and "undefined" nature of the other. In place of the long hypnotic ballads and the impetuous whirlwinds that fuse the voices of the instruments, here is a series of short gems the length of a song or a little more, an absolute and almost maniacal cleanliness of sound, crystal-clear piano and sax solos, an almost total dispersion of the sweet, enveloping mists of the winds, especially the flute, which was a major player in "Astral Weeks."
This greater transparency highlights even more the structural bases of Van Morrison's music, his blues, soul, and jazz roots, pillars that now appear in their nakedness. Whether this is a good thing or not depends on taste: as for me, I have a slight preference for the depth of "Astral Weeks," which doesn't stop me from fully appreciating the singability of "Moondance." Singability that, unfortunately, hasn't escaped even a "young sly guy" like Michael Bublé, who covered the splendid title track, a perfect swing with impeccable piano and sax solos, to make a version that, while remaining fairly respectful, sounds rather dull and banal. The positive side is that perhaps a part of Bublé's audience will be intrigued and want to discover this Van Morrison, the obscure author of "Moondance." In that case, the operation will have served a purpose.
When someone is in a state of grace, in a mystical exaltation, it's enough to go fishing with a friend to derive a series of magical sensations, but then there's a way and a way to express them. Among the best ways is "And It Stoned Me": naïve wonder ("Oh, the water...") in a heart full of soft piano and sax melodies. Visual and auditory impressions, happiness glimpsed and immediately captured, as in "Caravan," where Van's brusque voice expresses the urgent need to fixate on a theme (La la la ...) just intuited along with the passage of a caravan of happy gypsies.
Every positive vibration seems to be prey to the antennas of "Van the Man," who then in turn invites us to "smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic." To do so, an insistent, hypnotic bass line like the one "Into The Mystic" is built upon can be helpful. But the opportunities to let your soul soar are endless, and Van Morrison allows us to choose the means most congenial to us: those who wish can happily follow the trail of clear notes left by the splendid "Brand New Day," or be lulled by the delicacy of the romantically "Crazy Love," with the almost whispered dialogue between acoustic guitar and bass, or get hyped with the more upbeat and "black" rhythms of "Come Running" and "Glad Tidings," or immerse themselves in the canonical blues of "These Dreams Of You," or even be taken back centuries by the harpsichord and flute of "Everyone."
Overall, Van Morrison's second masterpiece is a series of clear snapshots of a mood that rarely occurs in life, captured by a fortunate photographer who was there at the right moment. Taking advantage and sharing this joy by listening to it is almost obligatory.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 And It Stoned Me (04:33)
Half a mile from the county fair
And the rain came pouring down
Me and Billy standing there
With a silver half a crown
Hands are full of the fishing rod and the tackle on our backs
We just stood there getting wet
With our backs against the fence
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Hope it don't rain all day
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like going home
And it stoned me
And the rain let up, and the sun came up
While we were getting dry
Almost let a pickup truck nearly pass us by
So we jumped right in, and the driver grinned
And he dropped us up the road
And we looked at the swim, and we jumped right in
Not to mention fishing poles
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Let it run all over me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like going home
And it stoned me
On the way back home we sang a song
But our throats were getting dry
Then we saw the man from across the road
With the sunshine in his eye
Well he lived all alone, in his own little home
With a great big gallon jar
There were bottles, too, one for me and you
And he said, "Hey, there you are"
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Get it myself from the mountain stream
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like going home
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like going home
And it stoned me
02 Moondance (04:36)
Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
You know I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low
You know the night's magic seems to whisper and hush
You know the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush
Chorus:
Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love
Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love
Well I wanna make love to you tonight
I can't wait till the morning has come
Y'know I know now the time is just right
And straight into my arms you will run
And when you come my heart will be waiting
To make sure that you're never alone
There and then all my dreams will come true, dear
There and then I will make you my own
And everytime I touch you, you just tremble inside
And I know how much you want me that you can't hide
Chorus
instr. solo
Repeat 1st verse, then Chorus
One more moondance with you
In the moonlight
On a magic night
La, la, la, la, la in the moonlight
On a magic night
Can't I just have one more dance with you my love
04 Caravan (05:02)
And the caravan is on it's way
I can hear the merry gypsies play
Mama mama look at Ammaro
She's a-playin with the radio
La, la, la, la...
And the caravan has all my friends
It will stay with me until the end
Gypsy Robin, Sweet Emma Rose
Tell me everything I need to know
La, la, la...
Turn up your radio and let me hear the song
Switch on your electric light
Then we can get down to what is really wrong
I long to hold you tight so I can feel you
Sweet lady of the night I shall reveal you
Turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher radio
Turn it up, turn it up, so you know, radio
La, la, la, la...
And the caravan is painted red and white
That means ev'rybody's staying overnight
Barefoot gypsy player round the campfire sing and play
And a woman tells us of her ways
La, la, la, la...
Turn up your radio and let me hear the song
Switch on your electric light
Then we can get down to what is really wrong
I long to hold you tight so I can feel you
Sweet lady of the night I shall reveal you
Turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher, radio
Turn it up, that's enough, so you know it's got soul
Radio, radio turn it up, hum
La, la, la, la...
05 Into the Mystic (03:30)
We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
And when that fog horn blows I will be coming home
And when the fog horn blows I want to hear it
I don't have to fear it
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And magnificently we will fold into the mystic
When that fog horn blows you know I will be coming home
And when that fog horn whistle blows I got to hear it
I don't have to fear it
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And together we will fold into the mystic
Come on girl...
Too late to stop now...
06 Come Running (02:32)
By the side of the tracks where the train goes by
The wind and the rain will catch you, you will sigh
Deep in your heart
Then you'll come a-running to me
You'll come a-running to me
Well you watch the train go 'round the bend
Play in dust and dream that it will never end
Deep in your heart
You'll come a-running to me
You'll come a-running to me
Said, hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Hey, yeah, come a-running to me
Said, hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Hey, yeah, come a-running to me
With your hound dog by your side
And your arms stretched out open wide
I wanna keep you satisfied in the morning sun
By my side, come on, come on run
And you kick the sand up with your heels
You think to yourself how good it feels
Put away all your walking shoes
Then you come running to me
Now you come running to me
I said, hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Hey, yeah, come a-running to me
You gotta rainbow if you run to me
09 Everyone (03:34)
We shall walk again down along the lane
Down the avenue just like we used to do
With our heads so high smile at the passers by
Then we'll softly sigh ay, ay, ay, ay, ay
Chorus:
Everyone, everyone, everyone, everyone
Everyone, everyone, everyone, everyone
By the winding stream we shall lie and dream
We'll make dreams come true if we want them to
Yes all will come play the pipes and drum
Sing a happy song and we'll sing along
Chorus
Repeat 1st Verse
10 Glad Tidings (03:42)
And they'll lay you down low in the easy
And the lips that you kiss will say Christmas.
And the miles that you traveled the distance
So believe no lies, dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la...
And the businessmen will shake hands and talk in numbers
And the princess will wake up from her slumber
Then all the knights will step forth with their arm bands
And ev'ry stranger you meet in the street will make demands
So believe no lies, then dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la...
Bridge:
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
Open up your eyes sa you may see
Ask you not to read between the lines
Hope that you will come in right on time
And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
And expect them to rise for the occasion
Don't it gratify when you see it materialize
Right in front of your eyes
That surprise
And they'll lay you down low and easy
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