Back on Top

Infobox Album | Name = Back on Top
Type = Album
Artist = Van Morrison


Released = March 9, 1999
Recorded = 1999
Genre = Blues, R & B
Length = 52:08
Label = Point Blank/Virgin
Producer = Van Morrison
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:oq27gjwr16iv link]
*"Rolling Stone" (Not Rated) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/67/albums/album/209052/rid/5941077/ link]
*Zboneman Rating|4|5 [http://www.zboneman.com/music/Van-Morrison-10228.html link]
*George Graham (unrated) [http://georgegraham.com/reviews/morrison.html link] |Last album = "The Philosopher's Stone"
(1998)
This album = "Back on Top"
(1999)
Next album = "The Skiffle Sessions - Live In Belfast 1998"
(2000)
Misc = Singles
Name =Back on Top
Type =studio
Single 1 =Precious Time" b/w "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)"/"Call Me Up in Dreamland
Single 1 date =
Single 2 =Back on Top" b/w "John Brown's Body"/"I'm Ready
Single 2 date =
Single 3 =The Philosopher's Stone" b/w "These Dreams of You"/"Raincheck
Single 3 date =
Single 4 =
Single 4 date =

"Back on Top" is an album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison released in 1999.This album marks a slight return to the forms of music he is most known for: blues and R&B. Rolling Stone Magazine reviews it as one Monet"When the Leaves Come Falling Down" (which it calls a masterpiece) and nine Norman Rockwell's.

The January 29, 2008 reissued and remastered version of the album contains an alternative take of "Philosopher's Stone" and a new arrangement of Fats Domino's song, "Valley of Tears". [ [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=9e7f77a8944fa52fb858a13add2752e0 Van Morrison Official Website] ]

Recording history

Recorded at The Wool Hall, Bath, England and Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland.

ongs

The musicians on the album are understated with Ian Jennings playing double bass, Geraint Watkins playing classy Hammond organ and Pee Wee Ellis on saxophones. The title track is an optimistic statement of the singer's outlook and may be a view of his personal relationships or professional standing. "When the Leaves Come Falling Down" is a ballad set in autumn and enhanced by a string section. Another song with a fall setting, "Golden Autumn Day" is about being mugged in an unnamed city in Britain. The ballad of lost love and heartbreak, "Reminds Me of You" was written in 1996 after a break-up of his engagement to Michelle Rocca and was not recorded for three years during which time they had reunited. [Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p.460] "Precious Time" has since become an often performed concert tune for Morrison with very meaningful lyrics about the quick passing of time and the need to enjoy life while we can; 'It doesn’t matter to which God you pray/Precious time is slipping away." A very blues influenced tune, "Going Down Geneva" is set in European cities instead of the American South as typical for blues songs. The line "Flew from there to Montreux and my heart was filled with pain" refers to Morrison's televised appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1997. [cite web|url=http://ivan.vanomatic.de/|title=concerts|publisher=van.vanomatic.de|accessdate=2008-08-29]

The video for the song "Back on Top", received significant airplay on the Canadian music station, "MuchMoreMusic", when it was released. Performances of "Back on Top" and "When the Leaves Come Falling Down" from "Back on Top" along with "Gloria" were televised as part of "Later with Jools Holland" on the 16th of April 1999. [cite web|url=http://ivan.vanomatic.de/|title=concerts|publisher=van.vanomatic.de|accessdate=2008-08-29] The performance of "When the Leaves Come Falling Down" can be viewed on YouTube: [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CjmO7jJaOvk Link]

Album photos

The photograph of Morrison on the inside of the album cover, was originally used for the front cover of Peter Handke's book "My Year in the No-Man's-Bay", first published in 1994. [Handke, My Year in the No-Man's-Bay]

Track listing

All songs by Van Morrison

#"Goin' Down Geneva" – 4:24
#"Philosophers Stone" – 6:05
#"In the Midnight" – 5:07
#"Back on Top" – 4:23
#"When the Leaves Come Falling Down" – 5:39
#"High Summer" – 5:12
#"Reminds Me of You" – 5:39
#"New Biography" – 5:23
#"Precious Time" – 3:45
#"Golden Autumn Day" – 6:31

Extra tracks (reissued, remastered album 2008)

#"Philosophers Stone" - 4:52 (alternative take)
#"Valley of Tears" - 5:02 (Fats Domino, arranged Morrison)

Credits

*Van Morrison - vocal, acoustic guitar, harmonica
*Mick Green - acoustic and electric guitars
*Pee Wee Ellis - soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, background vocals
*Matt Holland - trumpet
*Geraint Watkins - piano, hammond organ
*Fiachra Trench - piano
*Ian Jennings - double bass
*Liam Bradley - drums, percussion, background vocals
*Bobby Irwin - drums
*Brian Kennedy - background vocals
*Irish Film Orchestra - strings

2008 reissue

*Leo Green - tenor saxophone
*Jools Holland - piano
*Mike Sanchez - piano, guitar

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America) [ [http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=2947&cat=a Australian Charts] ] [ [http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Van+Morrison&titel=Still+On+Top+-+The+Greatest+Hits&cat=a Dutch Charts] ]

Notes

References

*Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
* [http://georgegraham.com/reviews/morrison.html Van Morrison "Back on Top" by George Graham]
*Handke, Peter (1994). My Year in the No-Man's-Bay, Farrar Straus and Giroux ISBN 0-374-21755-6

External links

* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio Samples] 1990s, Back on Top