be inside you
Astral Weeks would be the subject of this piece - i.e., the rock record with the most significance in my life so far - no matter how I’d been feeling when it came out. But in the condition I was in, it assumed at the time the quality of a beacon, a light on the far shores of the murk; what’s more, it was proof that there was something left to express artistically besides nihilism and destruction. - Lester Bangs, 1979
If music is communication, my own personal conversation has always been imbalanced, with the listening side of the equation getting short shrift (probably true of communication for me, in general). I’ve decided to correct that imbalance by paying attention to music that’s crossed my path, and moved on, when I was too busy paying attention to something else.
So, I’m spending some time looking at things I’ve overlooked - not music that already matters to me, but music that just plain matters, and trying to hear why. Listening to the artist’s words, the words of other listeners, and, of course, the music itself.
I’m starting with Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. Recorded in two days, released in 1968, not going gold until 1991, but on every significant list of significant music. Why?
I’ve only begun. I have to admit, Morrison’s voice is something of a barrier for me. But the music and lyrics are most certainly not.
The musty sadness of Madame George, certainly:
and the many, many places of personal connection woven throughout:
you breathe in, you breathe out
And you’re high on your high-flyin’ cloud
Wrapped up in your magic shroud as ecstasy surrounds you
This time it’s found you
You turn around you turn around you turn around you turn around
And I’m beside you
Beside you
Oh darlin’
To never never wonder why at all
But first and last, the jazz/folk groove rolling over and under throughout. And especially, the warm, wood surprise of Richard Davis’ bass.
Start where it makes sense to you:
• in Van Morrison’s words
• in the words of Lester Bangs
• in the music itself, found in all the usual places.
categories: music
tags: Astral Weeks, Lester Bangs, Richard Davis, Van Morrison
posted by what at 12:18 pm
Such beautiful music that demands your whole self while listening, and transports you completely… good medicine.
Van’s voice had to grow on me, I didn’t really like it at first but I did like the music. I knew nothing about Van but bought a Van Morrison Super Hits just because Taylor Hicks said he was an influence on his music. That CD didn’t really grab me but I did recognize Brown Eyed Girl, “oh, that’s who sang that song.”
My next purchase was Astral Weeks, again because it was on one of Taylor’s lists of best albums. I listened a few times but didn’t really get into it and got distracted, you know, the tour. But all through this year I have continued to buy Van’s CD’s and found some live performances at the trader site, dimeadozen. His voice has really grown on me now but I need to really concentrate on one album at a time I think and really study the lyrics.
The music is beautiful.
The absolute best news is that I found out that my 24 year old daughter is a Van Morrison fan and she and I have tickets to see Van live when he comes to Dallas at the end of December.
I too got into Van Morrison through the Taylor Hicks connection, and what other fans of Taylor said about him. I’d been aware of him years ago, and he was kind of on the edge of my memeory. I started with one of his newer cd, Magic Time (very, very nice), pulled out my old Best of, then Astral Weeks. The more I listen to Van, the more I get into it, there is so much depth there, both in the lyrics and the music. I think his voice actually got better as he got older. I’m going to see him in Reno December 21st (something’s gotta to be done about the outrageous price of tickets!!!).
Someone else I’m planning on revisiting is Bob Dylan, whom I think has a lot in common on some levels with VM. I’m reading Bob Dylan’s Chronicles (volume 1!!!) right now. Good read!
Here’s Van and Bob together… well, mostly Van.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o56JZ-k7ODo
I’ve purposely ignored Van Morrison for some time, only because he is synonymous to a bad experience. A person who I held dearly was a tortured soul and every time I visited her, Van Morrison would be blaring in every room in her home. During her frequent bad times, she felt some need, some complusion, to get lost, even more than usual, in his music. Unfortunately, his tunes were literally the background music to her life. With the passage of time, and improvement in her life, I can listen to these songs and get what has made him so great. I know most of his music because it was always playing, but I didn’t really listen to it. Who knows, maybe I’ll even be able to buy Astral Weeks! Thanks for putting these here!
That (Astral Weeks) was the first Van Morrison song I’ve ever listened to. I liked the voice more than the song – it’s a very distinctive, genuine voice, and that appeals to me. I also enjoyed Lester Banks’ essay, particularly the “juxtaposition of poets” at the end.
I like a bass line underneath, too. Two examples that come to mind are “Color My World” by Chicago, and “On and On and On” by Wilco. None of the YouTube clips of the Wilco song do it justice — you have to listen to it off the Sky Blue Sky CD.
“On and On and On” by Wilco:
http://www.box.net/shared/static/mhz4b89ij5.mp3
Thanks, tandjam. I could detect the bass on that, but my speakers here at work are pathetic and I can’t turn it up. Hope it came across for everyone else.
On Saturday, Van Morrison was playing in our local Bon Ton store and I recognized his voice. I feel so enlightened!