Days Like This (Van Morrison album)

Days Like This
Studio album by Van Morrison
Released	June 5, 1995
Recorded	1995 Windmill Lane Recording, Dublin, Ireland; The Wool Hall and Real World Studios, Bath, England
Genre	Celtic, Folk rock
Length	57:33
Label	Polydor
Producer	Van Morrison
Professional reviews
The reviews parameter has been deprecated. Please move reviews into the “Reception” section of the article. See Moving reviews into article space. Allmusic link Robert Christgau link Entertainment Weekly (B) link Rolling Stone (Not Rated) link
Van Morrison chronology
A Night in San Francisco (1994) Days Like This (1995) How Long Has This Been Going On (1996)
Singles from Days Like This
"Days Like This" b/w "I Don't Want to go on Without You"/"That Old Black Magic"/"Yo" Released: May 1995 "Perfect Fit" b/w "Raincheck"/"Cleaning Windows" Released: September 1995 "No Religion" b/w "Whenever God Shines His Light"/"Have I Told You Lately"/"Gloria" Released: November 1995

Days Like This is the twenty-third album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). It is a diverse group of songs offering a variety of moods and styles

Composition

His daughter, singer-songwriter Shana Morrison performed duets with her father on two tracks, "You Don't Know Me" and "I'll Never Be Free". "Ancient Highway" was nine minutes long and contained the words "praying to my higher self/Don't let me down". It is said to be the one song on the album where he comes closest to following his muse.^[1] The title track has continued to be a popular song in concert to the present day. Most of the songs are reflective and seem to come during a time of self-examination. "No Religion" came about Morrison explained when he was thinking: "Wouldn't it be great just to be born and nobody told you there was such a thing as religion? Say it didn't exist and you were just told that all you've got is this life and that's it...and there's no heaven, no hell." The song, "Songwriter" spoke of his songwriting techniques as a practical application instead of inspired as in the past.^[2] "Meloncholia" and "Underlying Depression" continue the theme of soul searching.

Reception

Days Like This was Morrison's best selling non-compilation album and was nominated for the Mercury Music Award. David Sinclair in Q describes the album as a "glorious return to form". Tom Moon's Rolling Stone review states: "There are moments of genius followed by lavish displays of questionable taste, sometimes within the same song."^[3]

Cover

The cover of the album showed Morrison and his (then) girlfriend, (now wife)^[4] Michelle Rocca walking a pair of greyhounds. It was his first album in 24 years to feature a female companion on the cover. The last had been the cover of Tupelo Honey with his then-wife Janet "Planet" Rigsbee.

Track listing

All songs by Morrison unless noted otherwise;

1. "Perfect Fit" – 4:33
2. "Russian Roulette" – 3:56
3. "Raincheck" – 5:53
4. "You Don't Know Me" - (Arnold, Walker) – 4:32
5. "No Religion" – 5:14
6. "Underlying Depression" – 4:35
7. "Songwriter" – 2:50
8. "Days Like This" – 3:13
9. "I'll Never Be Free" - (Benjamin, Weiss) – 3:37
10. "Melancholia" – 3:56
11. "Ancient Highway" – 8:53
12. "In the Afternoon" – 6:21

Personnel

Musicians

• Van Morrison - vocal, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone, Hammond organ
• Liam Bradley - drums on "Raincheck" and "You Don't Know Me"
• Phil Coulter - piano on "Raincheck", "You Don't Know Me" and "I'll Never Be Free"
• Geoff Dunn - drums, tambourine
• Noel Eccles - drums on "I'll Never Be Free"
• Pee Wee Ellis - tenor and alto saxophones
• Leo Green - tenor saxophone
• Matthew Holland - trumpet, flugelhorn
• James Hunter - electric guitar, background vocals on "Meloncholia" and "In the Afternoon"
• Ronnie Johnson - electric guitar
• Brian Kennedy - background vocals
• Teena Lyle - recorder, piano, vibraphone, congas, background vocals
• Foggy Lyttle - electric guitar on "Raincheck", "You Don't Know Me" and "I'll Never Be Free"
• Arty McGlynn - acoustic guitar on "Raincheck"
• James McMillan - trumpet, flugelhorn on "Raincheck", "You Don't Know Me" and "Ancient Highway"
• Shana Morrison - vocal, background vocals on "Raincheck", "You Don't Know Me", "I'll Never Be Free" and "Meloncholia"
• Jonn Savannah - Hammond organ on "No Religion"
• Nicky Scott - bass guitar
• Kate St. John - alto saxophone, oboe

Production

• Production: Van Morrison and Phil Coulter
• Recording: Mick Glossop, Walter Samuel and Brian Masterson
• Assistant engineers: Matthew Lawrence, Greig Sangster, Avril Mackintosh, Jamie Cullum, Alastair McMillan and Meabh Flynn
• Mixing: Walter Samuel and Mick Glossop
• Mastering: Ian Cooper and Tim Young
• Horn arrangements: Pee Wee Ellis and James McMillan

Charts

Album

UK Album Chart

Year	Chart	Position
1995	UK Album Chart	5

Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1995	The Billboard 200	33

Singles

UK Singles Chart

Year	Single	Position
1995	"Days Like This"	65
1995	"No Religion"	54

Notes

1. ^ Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 457
2. ^ Rogan, No Surrender, p. 435
3. ^ Moon, Tom (1998-02-02). "Days Like This Rolling Stone review". rollingstone.com. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/281996/review/5942225. Retrieved 2008-11-17. 
4. ^ "Singer Van Morrison denies 'unfounded baby' story". bbc.co.uk. 2009-12-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8436535.stm. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 

References

• Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
• Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison: No Surrender, London:Vintage Books ISBN 9780099431831

External links

• RS Review: Days Like This