Tupelo Honey (Van Morrison song)

Infobox Single
Name = Tupelo Honey


Artist = Van Morrison
from Album = Tupelo Honey
A-side = "Tupelo Honey"
B-side = "Starting a New Life"
Released = 1972
Format = 7", 45rpm
Recorded =
Genre = Folk rock
Length = 6:54
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Writer = Van Morrison
Producer = Van Morrison, Ted Templeman
Chart position =

• #47 U.S.
  Last single ="Wild Night" (1971)
  This single ="Tupelo Honey" (1972)
  Next single ="(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball" (1972)
  Misc = Extra tracklisting
  Album = Tupelo Honey
  Type = studio
  prev_track = "You're My Woman"
  prev_no = 5
  this_track = "Tupelo Honey"
  track_no = 6
  next_track = "I Wanna Roo You (Scottish Derivative)"
  next_no = 7"Tupelo Honey" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and the title song from his 1971 album, "Tupelo Honey". The title derives from an expensive, mild-tasting tupelo honey produced in the southeastern United States.

  Bob Dylan (who performed the song with Morrison during a concert tour in the 1990s) once remarked that "'Tupelo Honey' has always existed and that Morrison was merely the vessel and the earthly vehicle for it". [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:3xfexzualdhe All Music Guide review] ] It has a catchy country and western feel to it and this same melody was later used by Van Morrison on the song, "Why Must I Always Explain?", on his 1991 double album, "Hymns to the Silence".

  Reviews

  In an Uncut review for the album, David Cavanagh remarks: "Building upwards from a gentle flute refrain, and then pushed forwards by mighty fills from jazz durmmer Connie Kay who played on "Astral Weeks", "Tupelo Honey" is sung by a man who has grabbed us by the lapels and won't let go until we understand precisely what he's experiencing. On an album where the vocals are exultant to say the least, this song sees Morrison use larynx, diaphragm, teeth and tongue to find new ways of enunciating the lines "she's as sweet as Tupelo honey and "she's all right with me", seemingly in ever-increasing adoration." [ [http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/van_morrison/reviews/10945 Van Morrison; Tupelo Honey] ]

  In the Media and Acclaim

  *"Tupelo Honey" is featured on the end credits of the 1997 movie "Ulee's Gold" starring Peter Fonda.
  *It was listed as No. 51 on the All Time 885 Greatest Songs compiled in 2004 by WXPN from listener's votes. [ [http://www.xpn.org/music/885ATGS.php All-Time 885 Greatest Songs] ]
  *On the sitcom Friends, Ross expresses that he thinks the song to be the most romantic ever.

  Appearances on other albums, videos and DVDs

  *A version with Brian Kennedy appears on the 1994 live album "A Night in San Francisco".
  *A version with Bobby Bland appears on the 2007 compilation album "The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3".
  *A live performance from Morrison's 1980 appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival is featured on the 2006 DVD "Live At Montreux 1980/1974".
  *"Tupelo Honey" has been re-mastered in 2007 and included as one of the hits on Morrison's compilation album, "Still on Top - The Greatest Hits".
  *"Tupelo Honey" is also one of the songs performed in 1979, on Morrison's first video "Van Morrison in Ireland", released in 1981.

  Personnel on original release

  *Van Morrison - guitar, vocals
  *Ronnie Montrose - guitar, backing vocals
  *Bill Church - bass
  *Rolf "Boots" Houston - flute, backing vocals
  *Mark Jordan - piano, electric piano
  *Connie Kay - drums
  *Gary Mallaber - vibraphone
  *Bruce Royston - flute
  *Jack Schroer - alto saxophone
  *Ted Templeman - organ

  Covers

  *BC & The Blues
  *Phil Coulter Orchestra on Van Morrison's tribute album, "".
  *Richie Havens
  *Doc Holiday
  *The Revelators
  *Shaye
  *Dusty Springfield
  *David West
  *Cassandra Wilson
  *Brezz Zelenka
  *Stefan Schubert
  *Little Milton

  Notes

  External links

  * [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio sample] 1970s, Tupelo Honey
  * [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=87598adf0759073fe56d361a31238249# Video: Tupelo Honey, 1980]