It was placed on numerous widely circulated lists of the best albums of all time and had an enduring effect on both listeners and musicians. Sometimes referred to as a song cycle or concept album, critics laud the album's arrangements and songwriting Morrison's lyrics are often described as impressionistic, hypnotic, and modernist. Blending folk, blues, jazz, and classical music, the album's songs signaled a radical departure from the sound of his previous pop hits, such as 'Brown Eyed Girl' (1967).Īstral Weeks ' critical standing eventually improved greatly, however, and it has since been viewed as one of rock music's greatest and most important records (a reputation Morrison himself has dismissed). Records in November 1968, it did not receive promotion from the label and was not an immediate success with consumers or critics. When Astral Weeks was released by Warner Bros. Australian blues and root band The Revelators covered the song on their 2000 album, The Adventures of The Amazing Revelators.The cover art, music and lyrics of the album portray the symbolism equating earthly love and heaven that would often feature in Morrison's work.An electric guitar version of this song also appears on The Authorized Bang Collection (released in 2017), listed as 'Beside You (Take 5).' 'Beside You' was 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.Īn alternate version of 'Beside You' (6:05) appears on the album Bang Masters (recorded in 1967, released in 1991), featuring Van Morrison on electric guitar rather than an acoustic. Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame, when asked in an interview what his favourite song was, replied that it was 'Beside You'. Singer-songwriter Elvis Costello has identified this song as one of his favourites, featuring on one of his 500 favourite albums. Broken Arrow, possibly his fantasy figure, beckons – innocence led by imagination on the road to experience. The opening image of Little Jimmy shows a child sneaking out of his home, escaping to adventure and a childlike ritual rendezvous.

It is sung with a 'hushed wonder' and in it the singer transfers the visions of his own childhood to his son. It's basically a love song, just a song about being spiritually beside somebody.' The child that would have inspired the song was his adopted son by Janet, his wife at that time. Van Morrison remarked on this song: ''Beside You' is the kind of song that you'd sing to a kid or somebody you love. The song was recorded during the first Astral Weeks recording session at Century Sound Studios in New York City on 25 September 1968 with Lewis Merenstein as producer. ' Beside You' is the second track on Astral Weeks, the 1968 album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and released by Warner Bros.

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