Astral Weeks (song)

Infobox Song
Name = Astral Weeks


Caption =
Type =
Artist = Van Morrison
alt Artist =
Album = Astral Weeks
Published =
Released = November 1968
track_no = 1
Recorded = September 25, 1968
Genre = Folk rock
Length = 7:00
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"
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Misc = "Astral Weeks" is the title song and opening track on the 1968 album "Astral Weeks" by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison.

Van Morrison described the song "Astral Weeks" as being: "like transforming energy, or going from one source to another with it being born again like a rebirth. I remember reading about you having to die to be born. It's one of those songs where you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and that's basically what the song says." [Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p.95] Morrison told Steve Turner that he was working on the song back in Belfast in 1966 when he visited painter Cezil McCartney who had drawings on astral projection "and that's why I called it "Astral Weeks". [Turner, Too Late to Stop Now, p. 89]

Brian Hinton's review of the song states: "All is uncertain, this spiritual rebirth a question still, not a statement, and Van equates his move to a new world — both America and that of love— with a sense of being lost, "ain't nothing but a stranger in this world". [Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p.95]

On the first recording session for the album, this song was the last of four recorded and flautist John Payne (who had been working with Morrison) said it was the first time he had ever heard it, and that although the song may sound rehearsed it was actually captured from the first and only take. [Turner, Too Late to Stop Now, p.89]

The song, "Astral Weeks" was rated #483 on the list of All-Time 885 Greatest Songs voted on by listeners of WXPN. [ [http://www.xpn.org/music/885ATGS.php All-Time WXPN 885 Greatest Songs] ]

Personnel

*Van Morrison – rhythm guitar, vocals
*Jay Berliner – guitar
*Richard Davis – double bass
*John Payne – flute
*Warren Smith, Jr. – percussion, vibraphone
*Larry Fallon – string arrangements

Covers

Glen Hansard of The Framesand Brian Houston

Notes

References

*Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
*Turner, Steve (1993). Too Late to Stop Now, Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-85147-7

External links

* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and audio sample] 1960s Astral Weeks
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=bcdf0ba5fecbc0ef8494bf0c7a15c7dc# Video: Astral Weeks, 2008]
* [http://thishereboogie.com/astral-weeks-van-morrison-1968/ 'Astral Weeks' song of the day on thishereboogie.com 23 September 2008]