DU Album of the Day: "Tupelo Honey" Van Morrison
When I rant at the oldies radio station that Van Morrison has done other songs besides "Brown-Eyed Girl" or "Moondance," this is the album I'm thinking of. There's so much here, and it's really surprising that this was kind of a slap-dash effort. Morrison was in the process of relocating from Woodstock, New York to Marin County, California, and record label demands required him to put together a whole new band on the fly. Songs contemplated for the album never quite made it, and other songs that had been reserved for later work were pressed into service.
The title track, as well as all the other songs, speak of Morrison's life and love for this then wife, Janet "Planet" Rigsbee. The pacing and the tempo show off a wide range of ability, from country to rock and rhythm and blues. This is an artist in control of his craft, guiding it with a sure hand. In the years since its 1971 release, "Tupelo Honey" has undergone a bit of a critical change, and Morrison has pronounced himself dissatisfied with the result. Listeners can wave the cavils aside and wish for a love and life narrated by this album as we all seek our own Janet Planet or Van the Man.
1 Wild Night
2 (Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball
3 Old Old Woodstock
4 Starting a New Life
5 You're My Woman
6 Tupelo Honey
7 I Wanna Roo You {Scottish Derivative}
8 When That Evening Sun Goes Down
9 Moonshine Whiskey
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