"Sweet Thing" | |
---|---|
Song by Van Morrison | |
from the album Astral Weeks | |
Released | November 1968 |
Recorded | 15 October 1968 |
Studio | Century Sound, New York City |
Genre | |
Length | 4:22 |
Label | Warner Bros. |
Songwriter(s) | Van Morrison |
Producer(s) | Lewis Merenstein |
Astral Weeks track listing | |
"Sweet Thing" is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on his second studio album Astral Weeks (1968). It was on the first side of the album, that was under the heading: In the Beginning. The song was later used in 1971 as the American B-side to Morrison's single "Blue Money".
"Sweet Thing" was written by Morrison, aged c.22–23, after he 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 was recorded during the last Astral Weeks session on 15 October 1968, at Century Sound Studios in New York City with Lewis Merenstein as producer. [3] It is the only song on the album that looks forward instead of backward: [4]
Van Morrison described the song to Ritchie Yorke: "'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." [5]
The song was listed as No. 415 on the All Time 885 Greatest Songs compiled in 2004 by WXPN from listener's votes. [6] Mark Seymour on The Guardian called it "the most perfect song of all time". [7]
"Sweet Thing" is the only song from Astral Weeks included on the 1990 compilation album The Best of Van Morrison . It was also featured on Morrison's album Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl , released in 2009 to celebrate forty years since Astral Weeks was first released
The song is featured two times in the 2012 movie The Five-Year Engagement . It is playing when the two main characters first meet. It is also featured in its entirety during the ending of the movie Moonlight Mile , written and directed by Brad Silberling. The song can also be heard in the final scene of the AMC television show Preacher during the suicide of the Vampire, Cassidy. It provides the title and closing music for the 2020 movie Sweet Thing by Alexandre Rockwell.
The Waterboys covered the song on their 1988 album Fisherman's Blues , [8] which also interpolates the Beatles' "Blackbird".[ citation needed ] German indie band Flowerpornoes did a cover on their 1996 album Ich & Ich. [9] Jeff Buckley's 1993 recorded but posthumously released (in 2004) live album Live at Sin-é (Legacy Edition) includes a live extended version. [10] Shana Morrison included a cover of "Sweet Thing" on her debut album Caledonia (1999). [11] Ezio covered it on the album Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire . Joe Louis Walker included a version on his album Pasa Tiempo (2002). [12] The 4 of Us covered it at the Astral Weeks Revisited concert in Belfast on 5 January 2008 to mark the 40th anniversary of Astral Weeks. [13]
Sir George Ivan "Van" MorrisonOBE is a singer-songwriter and musician from Northern Ireland whose recording career spans seven decades.
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.
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. Records.
Tupelo Honey is the fifth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in October 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. Morrison had written all of the songs on the album in Woodstock, New York, before his move to Marin County, California, except for "You're My Woman", which he wrote during the recording sessions. Recording began at the beginning of the second quarter of 1971 at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco. Morrison moved to the Columbia Studios in May 1971 to complete the album.
Fisherman's Blues is the fourth studio album by the Waterboys, released by Ensign Records in October 1988. The album marked a change in the band's sound, with them abandoning their earlier grandiose rock sound for a mixture of traditional Irish music, traditional Scottish music, country music, and rock and roll. Critics were divided on its release with some disappointed at the change of direction and others ranking it among the Waterboys' best work. The album was the Waterboys' best selling album, reaching a number 13 placing on the U.K. charts on release, and 76 on the Billboard 200.
"Madame George" is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It appears on the album Astral Weeks, released in 1968. The song features Morrison performing the vocals and acoustic guitar. It also features a double bass, flute, drums, vibraphone, and a string quartet.
Veedon Fleece is the eighth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in October 1974. Morrison recorded the album shortly after his divorce from wife Janet (Planet) Rigsbee. With his broken marriage in the past, Morrison visited Ireland on holiday for new inspiration, arriving on 20 October 1973. While there he wrote, in less than three weeks, the songs included on the album.
His Band and the Street Choir is the fourth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in November 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. Originally titled Virgo's Fool, Street Choir was renamed by Warner Bros. without Morrison's consent. Recording began in early 1970 with a demo session in a small church in Woodstock, New York. Morrison booked the A&R Studios on 46th Street in New York City in the second quarter of 1970 to produce two sessions of songs that were released on His Band and the Street Choir.
Saint Dominic's Preview is the sixth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in July 1972 by Warner Bros. Records. Rolling Stone declared it "the best-produced, most ambitious Van Morrison record yet released."
Hard Nose the Highway is the seventh studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1973. It is his first solo album since his 1967 debut Blowin' Your Mind! to contain songs not written by Morrison. A cover version of the song "Bein' Green", usually associated with Kermit the Frog, is included, as is a take of the traditional song "Purple Heather". The album also contains the single "Warm Love," a fan favourite.
Beautiful Vision is the thirteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in February 1982. It continued Morrison's departure from R&B at the time, instead favoring Celtic folk and American jazz in its music. As with many of Morrison's recordings, spirituality is a major theme and some of the songs are based on the teachings of Alice Bailey. Other songs show Morrison's Celtic heritage and reminiscence of his Belfast background.
The Caledonia Soul Orchestra was the band created by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison in 1973. The band was named after an eighteen-minute instrumental outtake on the His Band and the Street Choir album.
"Cyprus Avenue" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1968 album Astral Weeks. It refers to Cyprus Avenue, a residential street in Morrison's hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
"Listen to the Lion" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and featured on his sixth album, Saint Dominic's Preview (1972). Its poetic musings and "bass-led shuffle" lead back to Astral Weeks territory.
"The Way Young Lovers Do" is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison from his second solo album, Astral Weeks. It was recorded in 1968, at Century Sound Studios New York City, during September and October of that year. The song is in triple metre. The distinctive feel of the original recording emerges from the non-rock style of double-bass phrasing by veteran jazzman Richard Davis and additional jazz musician session players, which combined with Morrison's soulful vocals, creates a relatively unusual combination of stylistic elements.
"Ballerina" is the second to last song on Astral Weeks, the 1968 album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison.
"Astral Weeks" is the title song and opening track on the 1968 album Astral Weeks by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison.
"And the Healing Has Begun" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and recorded on his 1979 album, Into the Music.
T.B. Sheets is a retrospective album of recordings made in 1967 by Northern Irish musician Van Morrison, released in 1973 on Bang Records. It contains songs that had appeared on Morrison's debut album, Blowin' Your Mind!, including his first hit, "Brown Eyed Girl". It also features early versions of two songs that appeared in 1968 on Morrison's acclaimed album Astral Weeks — "Beside You" and Astral Weeks' centerpiece, "Madame George".
Jef Labes is an American keyboardist and musician. He is best known from his work with Van Morrison and Bonnie Raitt. Jef Labes has also arranged for string and woodwind instruments on numerous albums.