Throwback Thursday! - Van Morrison - "Moondance" (1970)

Van Morrison - "Moondance" (1970)

Moondance was Van Morrison's third studio album and was released in February of 1970.  The style of this album was very unusual for its time.  It blended jazz with soul and soft rock, creating a truly unique, intimate experience.  This has been widely considered to be one of Van Morrison's most famous albums.  This album has been critically acclaimed since its release and it continues to please listeners to this day.  It is one of my favorite albums of all time; and the title track is one of my favorite songs of all time.  Van Morrison is intensely articulate with this work of art, creating a one of a kind experience that is hard to top.

1) And It Stoned Me (9/10)

In these older albums, the artist could tell a story and express themselves through the music.  In this opening track, Van Morrison told the story of a day in the life of a young freedom seeker.  This could very well be an account of an actual experience he took part in.  The soft rock and roll that backs up his distinct vocals makes this one of the best songs on the record.  Somehow, this song is both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time. 

2) Moondance (10/10)

This is one of the standout songs off of this album.  It is probably the most famous song from it.  This also consists of soft background noise surrounding Van Morrison's voice.  It is a jazzy, romantic song that brings out the best in his music.  The soothing nature of this song does not take away from the passion in Moondance's lyrics.

3) Crazy Love (8.5/10)

Van Morrison sings so softly during this song, it is close to a whisper.  This creates a feeling of powerful intimacy that is not matched on the entire album.  The album starts with a few quiet songs that focus on his wonderfully unique voice.  The group of back up singers add to the suspense of this classic love song.

4) Caravan (9/10)

The music and lyrics to this song look so simple on paper.  Nevertheless, Van Morrison throws his personality into it and creates a very intricate piece of music that touches the soul.  The way this song was put together is genius.  The way the band fades in and out somehow allows Van the Man to communicate his emotions in a very effective manner.

5) Into The Mystic (10/10)

This song basically sums up the entire message behind Moondance.  The way Morrison sings this song makes the listener feel like he is directing his words to one specific person, not millions of fans.  It is a beautiful representation of romance because of its traditional structure.  The lyrics are wonderful, but they can be interpreted differently by any listener.  The lyrics are beautiful, the song is beautiful, and this is the best song off a great album.

6) Come Running (8/10)

Van Morrison described this song as a "happy-go-lucky" song.  That is exactly how I would describe it as well.  The song comes in at a fairly short 2 minutes and 33 seconds.  This does not leave Morrison enough time to completely express himself as he did in the past 5 tracks.  However, it's a fun song to listen to, and begins the transition into the more light-hearted, second half of the album.

7) These Dreams Of You (7.5/10)

After a couple of minutes, the repetitive style of this song began to get a bit boring.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great song.  However, it is definitely not the best song on the LP.  The lyrics consist of the telling of what are apparently dreams Van Morrison has had.  A pretty saxophone solo makes this a good one, but it can't be compared to the genius of songs like "Into the Mystic."

8) Brand New Day (8/10)

"Brand New Day" is a very down to earth song that is very fervent.  The amount of capability this song offers is beyond that of most of the songs I have ever listened to.  It leaves a lot to the listener to put things together and completely absorb the magnitude of this song.  The only negative thing about this song is that it leaves you wanting more.  It shows off the broad spectrum of talent Van Morrison has to offer.

9) Everyone (7/10)

This song has a very joyful and happy tone that seeps into your mind and makes the listener feel these same emotions.  When talking about this song, Van Morrison described it as a "song of hope."  Many fans, however, feel the song's lyrics represent a different meaning.  I feel like the lyrics are telling the story of a troubled group of kids, filled with hope.  This quote from the song represents the idea of hope well: "By the winding stream we shall lie and dream/We'll make dreams come true if we want them to..." 

10) Glad Tidings (8/10)

This is the perfect song to end this album.  The upbeat tempo rolls along as Van Morrison's signature horn section plays in the background.  It's the fun kind of ending that makes you want to listen to the entire thing all over again.  While it is not the best song on the record, it is the best song to end the album.

In my opinion, Moondance is Van Morrison's best album, and the most defining release of his career.  Every song is a masterpiece in its own way, and that is what makes the album come together and become such a breath-taking piece of art.  Moondance was such an innovative album for its time.  It combined a unique style of jazz, with the popular genre of rock and roll to create one of the best albums of all time.  Even Rolling Stone rated it as number 66 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.  I believe that this album represents the peak in, not only Van Morrison's career, but in the entire genre of European soul music.

Listen to Moondance on Spotify!