"Orangefield" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter

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 t ...

and released on his 1989 album ''

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, featuri ...

''. The song takes place on "a golden autumn day" and is named for the school for boys (now

Orangefield High School Orangefield High School was a secondary school in east Belfast, Northern Ireland. Formerly Orangefield Boys' Secondary School and Orangefield Girls' Secondary School, it became coeducational before it closed in 2014. Notable alumni of the Boys' S ...

) that Morrison attended during his youth in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

, Northern Ireland. The song was also a minor hit in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, charting at number 70.

Recording and composition

"Orangefield" was recorded in summer 1988 at Eden Studios in London with Mick Glossop as engineer. Brian Hinton gave his interpretation of the song and lyrics as: "In 'Orangefield' we're back in the territory of ''

Astral Weeks ''Astral Weeks'' is the second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was recorded at Century Sound Studios in New York during September and October 1968, and released in November of the same year by Warner Bros. Reco ...

'' in both historical and psychic terms... she was the apple of his eye—both fruitful (like the name of his school) and Eve tempting him to sin—and her beauty becomes like the sun, or God." Another biographer, Clinton Heylin defined the song: "Certainly in 'Orangefield', another installment in Morrison's perennial

paean A paean () is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice (monody). It comes from the Greek παιάν (also πα� ...

to a 'lost love in Belfast', the words say very little but the mood is persuasive. Back in touch with the spirit of yesteryear, he walks through the old park remembering 'a golden autumn day'

hen Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman. Hen or Hens may also refer to: Places Norway *Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...

you came my way in Orangefield."

Other releases

"Orangefield" was one of the songs performed on the 1990 video ''

Van Morrison The Concert ''Van Morrison: The Concert'' is the second video released by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, first released in 1990. Recorded in New York City the previous year, the concert featured two special guests and long-time friends Mose ...

''.

Personnel

*Van Morrisonvocals, guitar * Arty McGlynnguitar *Neil Drinkwaterpiano *

Clive Culbertson Clive Culbertson (born 28 August 1954, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland) is the founder of The Order of Druids in Ulster. He is a mystic, musician and healer. Culbertson trained with his friend and teacher, the late Ben McBrady, Air ...

bass guitar *Roy Jones,

Dave Early Dave Early (5 April 1957 – 14 October 1996) was an English drummer and percussionist. He was best known as the original drummer for Sade. He also worked with Chris Rea, Van Morrison, The Chieftains, Mary Black, Ananta, and others. Later he moved ...

drums, percussion *

Katie Kissoon Mac and Katie Kissoon are a pop soul duo, consisting of brother and sister Mac Kissoon (born Gerald Farthing, November 11, 1943, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) and Katie Kissoon (born Katherine Farthing, March 11, 1951, Port of Spain). Ea ...

, Carol Kenyonbacking vocals

Renditions

"Orangefield" was performed by

Duke Special Duke Special (born Peter Wilson; 4 January 1971) is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he was previously known for his distinctiv ...

at his concert in

St George's Market St George's Market is the last surviving Victorian covered market in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is located on May Street, close to the River Lagan and the Waterfront Hall. Belfast Corporation (now Belfast City Council) commissioned the buil ...

on 2 December 2008.

References

Sources

* Heylin, Clinton (2003). ''Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography'', Chicago Review Press * Hinton, Brian (1997). ''Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison'', Sanctuary, {{Van Morrison singles Van Morrison songs 1989 singles Songs written by Van Morrison 1989 songs Mercury Records singles Song recordings produced by Van Morrison