Comments on: Astral Weeks and Me

By: Finding Beauty |

Finding Beauty | — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 01:08:51 +0000

[…] night I went to see Van Morrison, and was reminded of the healing power of communal joy. Normally, I don’t want to make the […]

By: Kjell Dahl

Kjell Dahl — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:10:28 +0000

Hi!
It is Cyprus Avenue not Cypress Avenue.
A lot of people makes this mistake 🙂

Kjell
Norway

By: max

max — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:24:06 +0000

Joanne, that was a beautiful piece you wrote about Van, and thanks for the namecheck! I still listen to it today, ALL OF IT, and marvel at the poetry and rhythm the pure slide of it all and the fact that he was only 22 when he wrote that amazing sequence -the Muse was really doing him hard for a minute or a mile there. And you, you got soul girl, glad to reconnect x

By: hammie

hammie — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:06:01 +0000

yep, Van is wonderful and evokes my early courtship with Mr H.
But he is such a grumpy arsehole who pisses everyone off…
nah wait, that probably endears him to you even more!

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:35:27 +0000

Listening to Van Morrison right now. Thanks. It’s exactly what I need. Better than Lexapro and Prilosec and Crestor for what ails me.

By: Dexter VanDango

Dexter VanDango — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:13:15 +0000

Okay.. last entry on the subject. I promise.

I just listened to Astral Weeks for the first time in 25 years.

Apart from the fabulous Madame George there are no really memorable melodies, there is a sameness, same tempo throughout, a monotony to the songs. I recognize Van as being one of the greatest singers in the world – but I can take max 3 of his songs at a sitting, maybe 4 if two of them are Gloria and Brown Eyed Girl. Once he left rhythmically driven songs ala Them he drifted into an almost Arabic hypnotic mantra style of vocal fluctuations all too repetitive and strung over mediocre melodies.

I’d rather listen to Nina Simone’s greatest hits. Anyone who can turn a Bee Gees song into pure soulful gold is a genius indeed.

By: Dexter VanDango

Dexter VanDango — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:46:48 +0000

Marie Key of Denmark..

Great lyrics.. trust me.. very Johnathan Richman..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrmWdkV27ak

see the one called Klyptoman too.

She’s the real deal..

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:41:15 +0000

Dexter -Hate the Boss, Hate Joni. That list goes on forever. Back to love: Dresden Dolls and Pixies!

By: Dexter VanDango

Dexter VanDango — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:38:07 +0000

Forgot to say two fabulous singers I never get tired of: Annie Lennox & Chrisie Hynde.

By: Dexter VanDango

Dexter VanDango — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:12:27 +0000

Burt Jansch’s Black Water Side is one of the weirdest most beautiful ballads ever recorded.

Maybe a new thread? Fantastic and admirable musicians who leave us cold:

Bruce Springsteen: an honorable man who writes noble lyrics for thinking adults. But he doesn’t intrigue me. He’s more athletic than ethereal. I’d rather listen to David Byrne or Johnathan Richman.

Joan Baez: another wonderful human being but her voice is like a canary warning of gas in a coal mine. Perhaps it’s meant to be?

Can’t stand Joni Mitchell either. She’s a genius but a high-pitched one. You lose the high register in your hearing the older you get. Hopefully soon I won’t be able to hear her or Joan at all.