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Still On Top – The Greatest Hits
''Still on Top – The Greatest Hits'' is the third compilation album to be issued by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison in 2007. It was released 22 October 2007 in the UK in a two-CD album with 37 tracks and with a three-CD Digipak limited edition box set also available on initial release of the album in the UK. On 29 October 2007 it was listed at No. 2 on the UK Official Top 75 Albums, his highest charting ever. The album also charted at No. 3 on the Top 75 Albums in Ireland, his highest debut in that country. In its second week of release it topped the Swedish albums chart, and has since been certified gold. It was released on 6 November 2007, in the U.S. and Canada on a single disc with 21 tracks and is also available as an MP3 download. The single disc album charted at No. 48 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 37 in Canada on the Soundscan charts. The tracks consist of Morrison's biggest hits from 1964 as leader of the Northern Irish band Them through his 200 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in the late 1950s, he played a variety of instruments such as guitar, harmonica, keyboards and saxophone for several Irish showbands, covering the popular hits of that time. Known as "Van the Man" to his fans, Morrison rose to prominence in the mid 1960s as the lead singer of the Northern Irish R&B and rock band Them. With Them, he recorded the garage band classic " Gloria". Under the pop-oriented guidance of Bert Berns, Morrison's solo career began in 1967 with the release of the hit single "Brown Eyed Girl". After Berns's death, Warner Bros. Records bought out Morrison's contract and allowed him three sessions to record ''Astral Weeks'' (1968). While initially a poor seller, the album has become regarded as a classic. ''Moondance'' (1970) e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
"Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" is a song written and performed by Van Morrison and featured as the opening track on his sixth studio album, ''Saint Dominic's Preview''. It was released by Warner Bros. in July 1972 as the first of three singles from the album and charted at number sixty-one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Both the music and lyrics are inspired by rhythm and blues singer Jackie Wilson and his song "Reet Petite", which is directly quoted in the song. "Jackie Wilson Said" was covered by Dexys Midnight Runners on their album '' Too-Rye-Ay'' and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart when released in 1982. It has also been covered by several other artists. In 2021, Morrison's original version reached #1 on the Ireland radio airplay chart. Van Morrison's version Recording and composition The first known recording of "Jackie Wilson Said" was in January 1972 at singer and musician Lee Michaels' studio in Mill Valley, California. For this earl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wavelength (song)
"Wavelength" is the title song from the 1978 album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Released as a single in 1978, it climbed to number forty two in the US charts, and stayed in the Hot 100 for eleven weeks. According to Howard A. Dewitt, this "was the song which re-established Morrison's hit making abilities". Recording and composition "Wavelength" was recorded in spring 1978 at the Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, California. The most important contribution to the music was made by Peter Bardens who played the 1970s synthesizers. In his biography, Brian Hinton states that it is, "a love song about the mysterious and unspoken communication between a couple" and also refers to the singer's adolescent years when he would listen to the Voice of America and the sounds of his favorite artists such as Ray Charles singing "Come back baby, come back". In the song Morrison refers to his first solo hit single "Brown Eyed Girl", using the lyrics "Won't you play that song ag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blowin' Your Mind!
''Blowin' Your Mind!'' is the debut studio album by Northern Irish musician Van Morrison, released in 1967. It was recorded 28–29 March 1967 and contained his first solo pop hit "Brown Eyed Girl". It was included by ''Rolling Stone'' as one of the ''40 Essential Albums of 1967''. Recording and release history Morrison does not regard this record as a true album, as Bert Berns compiled and released it without his consent. A few months previously, Morrison had carelessly signed a contract that he had not fully studied and it stipulated that he would surrender virtually all control of the material he would record with Bang Records. The songs were recorded in March 1967 and had been intended to be released on four separate singles. The album jacket became notorious as a model of bad taste, a perception shared widely by Morrison himself. It featured a strange swirl of circling brown vines (and drug connotation) surrounding a sweaty looking Morrison. Greil Marcus described it as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brown Eyed Girl
"Brown Eyed Girl" is a song by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison. Written by Morrison and recorded in March 1967 for Bang Records owner and producer Bert Berns, it was released as a single in June of the same year on the Bang label, peaking at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song spent a total of sixteen weeks on the chart. It featured the Sweet Inspirations singing back-up vocals and is considered to be Van Morrison's signature song. Recording and title After finishing his contract with Decca Records and the mid-1966 break-up of his band, Them, Morrison returned to Belfast seeking a new recording company. When he received a phone call from Bert Berns, owner of Bang Records, who had produced a number of recordings with Them, he flew to New York City and hastily signed a contract (which biographer Clinton Heylin says probably still gives him sleepless nights). During a two-day recording session starting 28 March 1967, he recorded eight songs intended to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Into The Music
''Into the Music'' is the 11th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, and was released in August 1979. It includes "Bright Side of the Road", which peaked at number 63 on the UK Singles Chart, and other songs in which Morrison sought to return to his more profound and transcendent style after the pop-oriented ''Wavelength''. The record received favourable reviews from several music critics and was named as one of the year's best albums in the Pazz & Jop critics' poll. Recording ''Into the Music'' was recorded in early 1979 at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, with Mick Glossop as engineer. During the recording of the album, one of the musicians, trumpet player Mark Isham, referred Morrison to Pee Wee Ellis who lived nearby. Morrison brought him in to do the horn charts for "Troubadours", but Ellis remained and worked on the entire album. The band also included Toni Marcus on strings, Robin Williamson on penny whistle, and Ry Cooder playing slid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bright Side Of The Road
"Bright Side of the Road" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1979 album ''Into the Music''. It was also one of the outtakes that made up the 1998 compilation album, '' The Philosopher's Stone''. As a single "Bright Side of the Road" was released in September 1979 and charted at No. 48 in the Netherlands, No. 63 in the UK and just outside the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the US at No. 110. In 2020, the song reached its highest radio airplay chart position in Ireland, peaking at #2. Recording and composition It was recorded in spring 1979 at Record Plant Studios in Sausalito, California, with Mick Glossop as engineer. According to biographer Brian Hinton it is "an answer in song to 'The Dark End of the Street' and it is wonderfully light, in spirit and texture." ''Record World'' said that it "has a light, keyboard-dominated instrumental track & restrained backup vocals." Other releases "Bright Side of the Road" is featured as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moondance
''Moondance'' is the third studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on 27 January 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. After the commercial failure of his first Warner Bros. album ''Astral Weeks'' (1968), Morrison moved to upstate New York with his wife and began writing songs for ''Moondance''. There, he met the musicians that would record the album with him at New York City's A & R Studios in August and September 1969. The album found Morrison abandoning the abstract folk jazz compositions of ''Astral Weeks'' in favour of more formally composed songs, which he wrote and produced entirely himself. Its lively rhythm and blues/rock music was the style he would become most known for in his career. The music incorporated soul, jazz, pop, and Irish folk sounds into songs about finding spiritual renewal and redemption in worldly matters such as nature, music, romantic love, and self-affirmation. ''Moondance'' was an immediate critical and commercia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moondance (Van Morrison Song)
"Moondance" is a song recorded by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison and is the title song on his third studio album ''Moondance'' (1970). It was written by Morrison, and produced by Morrison and Lewis Merenstein. Morrison did not release the song as a single until September 1977, seven and a half years after the album was released. It debuted two months later where it reached #92, on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #91 on the US ''Cash Box'' Top 100 The single's B-side, "Cold Wind in August", had been released in the same year, on his latest album at the time, '' A Period of Transition''. "Moondance" is the song that Van Morrison plays most frequently in concert. Composition and recording "Moondance" was recorded at the Mastertone Studio in New York City in August 1969, with Lewis Merenstein as producer. The song is played mostly acoustic, anchored by a walking bass line (played on electric bass by John Klingberg), with accompaniment by piano, guitar, saxo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avalon Sunset
''Avalon Sunset'' is the nineteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in 1989 by Mercury Records to both commercial and critical success. In 2008, ''Avalon Sunset'' was reissued and remastered, featuring an alternate take of " Whenever God Shines His Light", and a version of "When the Saints Go Marching In" with additional lyrics by Morrison. Recording This album was recorded in England at Woodhall Studio, Eden Studios, Olympic Studios, Westside Studio, and Townhouse Studios. It marked the first appearance of Georgie Fame with Morrison. Fame played the Hammond organ and also provided backup vocals and helped direct the band. Morrison and Fame would work together for most of the 1990s. The all new songs were rehearsed in two days and then recorded in another two days. Arty McGlynn (the guitarist) remarked about the band's feelings when the sessions ended "we still don't know if it's an album, or maybe a demo for an album." Morrison's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and is the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Richard was originally marketed as a rebellious rock and roll singer in the style of Presley and Little Richard. With his backing group, the Shadows, he dominated the British popular music scene in the pre-Beatles period of the late 1950s to early 1960s. His 1958 hit single "Move It" is often described as Britain's first authentic rock and roll song. In the early 1960s, he had a prosperous screen career with films including '' The Young Ones'', '' Summer Holiday'' and '' Wonderful Life'' and his own television show at the BBC. Increased focus on his Christian faith and subsequent softening of his music led t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Whenever God Shines His Light
"Whenever God Shines His Light" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and released on his 1989 album ''Avalon Sunset'' as a duet with Cliff Richard. Although the album was released in June 1989, this song was released as a single in November 1989 for the Christmas sales market. Morrison and Richard performed the duet on the British music chart television show, ''Top of the Pops''. The single charted at No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart. AllMusic critic Jason Ankeny describes it as a "standout opener" to ''Avalon Sunset''. Critic Patrick Humphries describes it as "the most manifest example of Morrison's Christian commitment," claiming that although it "is not one of Morrison's most outstanding songs" it works as "a testament of faith". ''Cash Box'' said that "if George Harrison can have a hit single while invoking his sweet Lord, Van could do it with the totally engaging 'Whenever God Shines His Light.'" Appearance ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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