Sweet Thing (Van Morrison song)

Infobox Song
Name = Sweet Thing


Caption = "Blue Money" (U.S.) single cover
Type =
Artist = Van Morrison
alt Artist =
Album = Astral Weeks
Published =
Released = November 1968
track_no = 3
Recorded = October 15, 1968
Genre = Folk rock
Length = 4:10
Writer = Van Morrison
Composer = Van Morrison
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Lewis Merenstein
Chart position =
Tracks =
#"Astral Weeks"
#"Beside You"
#"Sweet Thing"
#"Cyprus Avenue"
#"The Way Young Lovers Do"
#"Madame George"
#"Ballerina"
#"Slim Slow Slider"
prev =
prev_no =
next =
next_no =
Misc = "Sweet Thing" is one of the songs included on Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison's 1968 acclaimed second album "Astral Weeks". It was on the first side of the album, that was under the heading, "In the Beginning". It was written after Morrison had met his future wife Janet while on tour in the US in 1966 and during the year of separation after he returned to Belfast. It is the only song on the album that looks forward instead of backward: [Heylin, Can You Feel The Silence?, p. 157] :"You shall take me strongly in your arms again:"And I will not remember that I ever felt the pain

Van Morrison's remarks on this song: [Yorke, Into the Music, p. 57]

"Sweet Thing" is another romantic song. It contemplates gardens and things like that...wet with rain. It's a romantic love ballad not about anybody in particular but about a feeling.

Acclaim

*It was listed as No. 415 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] ]

Appearance on other albums

"Sweet Thing" is the only song from "Astral Weeks" included on the 1990 compilation album "The Best of Van Morrison".

Personnel

*Van Morrison – rhythm guitar, vocals
*Jay Berliner – guitar
*Richard Davis – double bass
*Connie Kay – drums
*John Payne – flute
*Larry Fallon – string arrangements

Covers

* A live extended version of Van Morrison's "Sweet Thing" is featured on Jeff Buckley's 2004 posthumously released live album "Live at Sin-é (Legacy Edition)".
*The Waterboys
*Shana Morrison on her debut album "Caledonia" (1999)
*Ezio on the live album "Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire"

Notes

References

*Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
*Yorke, Ritchie (1975). Into The Music, London:Charisma Books , ISBN 0-85947-013-X

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:hxfwxxqsldje Allmusic Review: Sweet Thing]
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and audio sample] 1960s Astral Weeks