I saw Van Morrison a couple of years ago. It was a fun concert, but at the end I was sad that he didn't play a single song from Astral Weeks (my favorite album of all time) or Veedon Fleece (another mythopoetic masterpiece). He didn't sound like the complex Irish troubadour, the Odyssean "man of many turns" that I encountered on those albums when I first listened to them in my 20s. I mean, who am I to judge a giant like that, but your post made me think about how the single-minded pursuit of joy is a kind of psychological monotheism, when real romantics know that the psyche is home to many gods, all of which need to be honored in their proper seasons. But living with that complexity is hard; no wonder we're liable to turn away from it.
Oh man, inject this straight into my veins: “the single-minded pursuit of joy is a kind of psychological monotheism, when real romantics know that the psyche is home to many gods, all of which need to be honored in their proper seasons. But living with that complexity is hard; no wonder we're liable to turn away from it.” Thank you for that brilliant formulation.
I also saw Van Morrison in concert 17 years ago in Dallas, TX, and experienced the same disappointment that he sang very few of his popular songs. After thinking about it, I realized that I hadn’t gone to see Van Morrison the artist, I had gone to reclaim the past - I was longing for a nostalgic experience with Van Morrison from the past. I was reminded of a comment Joni Mitchell made in her live album, Miles of Aisles, when sh said, “No one ever asked Van Gogh, “paint Starry Night again, Man.’ He did it and that’s it.”
Good point. When I saw him though, it wasn't the popular songs I missed --he did play Brown Eyed Girl, Moondance and so on. It's his more sprawling, philosophical stuff that I like. But again, that's my experience, and it's not fair to hold an artist hostage to their former self. And that's a great Joni Mitchell quote, by the way!
No doubt, the late 60’s - early 70’s produced some great singer/songwriters. Here’s my favorite quote from the introduction to Joni’s Love Has Many Faces album, “I’m pouring my self a glass of wine. I’d like to drink a toast. If God is dead and love is dead, is talent the next fatality? Let’s all drink a toast to talent. Here’s to you talent - may you be resurrected, too.”
Here’s a toast to Van Morrison - and thank you Heather for another thought provoking essay!
chris, that must have been quite an experience seeing van morrison live. it's interesting how live performances can differ from the depth we feel in studio albums, something that's so rare in society glued to screens nowadays.
it's true that our minds house many different 'gods' or aspects, and honoring each one can be challenging but fulfilling. embracing that complexity can lead to a richer, more nuanced life.
Passionate, Compassionate, with or without joy. Your day's offering to us reminds me that there is a rainbow of emotions, one uncovering another, and it is a wild ride. Who started that idea that joy is the ultimate goal in life?
“But you have to make some space for that core self, and sing about it, because when it is satisfied, that’s the most satisfaction you ever get to feel.” This is so true. Perfectly written
Thank you. An avoidant ex reached out to me over a decade later and he's still so uptight and terrified of emotions and I just want to send this to him and be like "it's okay that however you felt about me was confusing and ugly and fucked up, but please at least own it instead of trying to act like your repression about it is mature and civil! Stop trying to simplify and whitewash it to make it all easier because then it simplifies it me, and I've done so much work to stop simplifying and reducing myself to be more digestible to men!" Thank you for giving me the language I need to keep open.
I love your thoughts here. I recently saw the great writer Hisham Matar talk and he said he only started writing about a topic when he had reached a place of 'passionate ambivalence'. Ambivalence is at the heart of all great writing I think, and it's why I like writing plays, which are characterized by dialectic, that feeling of push and pull.
can’t stop listening to Slim Slow Slider now. i went to buy that cd when i was ? 12 years old i think because my celebrity crush recommended it and the person at the CD store had a huuuge stack of mixed new arrivals. when i walked up to him i asked for Astral Weeks ans when i looked down that was the CD he was holding in his hand, in the middle of pricing.
haven’t listened to it in years, thank you for reposting this
I saw Van Morrison a couple of years ago. It was a fun concert, but at the end I was sad that he didn't play a single song from Astral Weeks (my favorite album of all time) or Veedon Fleece (another mythopoetic masterpiece). He didn't sound like the complex Irish troubadour, the Odyssean "man of many turns" that I encountered on those albums when I first listened to them in my 20s. I mean, who am I to judge a giant like that, but your post made me think about how the single-minded pursuit of joy is a kind of psychological monotheism, when real romantics know that the psyche is home to many gods, all of which need to be honored in their proper seasons. But living with that complexity is hard; no wonder we're liable to turn away from it.
Oh man, inject this straight into my veins: “the single-minded pursuit of joy is a kind of psychological monotheism, when real romantics know that the psyche is home to many gods, all of which need to be honored in their proper seasons. But living with that complexity is hard; no wonder we're liable to turn away from it.” Thank you for that brilliant formulation.
better if you inject straight into your grey matter, Moonstruck.
I also saw Van Morrison in concert 17 years ago in Dallas, TX, and experienced the same disappointment that he sang very few of his popular songs. After thinking about it, I realized that I hadn’t gone to see Van Morrison the artist, I had gone to reclaim the past - I was longing for a nostalgic experience with Van Morrison from the past. I was reminded of a comment Joni Mitchell made in her live album, Miles of Aisles, when sh said, “No one ever asked Van Gogh, “paint Starry Night again, Man.’ He did it and that’s it.”
Good point. When I saw him though, it wasn't the popular songs I missed --he did play Brown Eyed Girl, Moondance and so on. It's his more sprawling, philosophical stuff that I like. But again, that's my experience, and it's not fair to hold an artist hostage to their former self. And that's a great Joni Mitchell quote, by the way!
No doubt, the late 60’s - early 70’s produced some great singer/songwriters. Here’s my favorite quote from the introduction to Joni’s Love Has Many Faces album, “I’m pouring my self a glass of wine. I’d like to drink a toast. If God is dead and love is dead, is talent the next fatality? Let’s all drink a toast to talent. Here’s to you talent - may you be resurrected, too.”
Here’s a toast to Van Morrison - and thank you Heather for another thought provoking essay!
chris, that must have been quite an experience seeing van morrison live. it's interesting how live performances can differ from the depth we feel in studio albums, something that's so rare in society glued to screens nowadays.
it's true that our minds house many different 'gods' or aspects, and honoring each one can be challenging but fulfilling. embracing that complexity can lead to a richer, more nuanced life.
I love how the Irish boyfriend could talk about how annoying someone was and also what a pure heart they have and how you need to be good to them.
"You will not be romantic, because romance is sloppy and ambitious and humiliating." Woof, yes.
Somehow I don’t think the person riding a billowing magic carpet alongside owls is in danger of not being romantic.
Oh I'm not worried about not being romantic, I'm just bracing myself for the ongoing humiliation. ;-)
Seems to me like being willing to appear foolish is a good way to move through life. Good way to learn a language too I’ve heard.
Haha!
Cheers to pure hearts, being a creep, and driving as long as it takes.
Passionate, Compassionate, with or without joy. Your day's offering to us reminds me that there is a rainbow of emotions, one uncovering another, and it is a wild ride. Who started that idea that joy is the ultimate goal in life?
now I’m listening to madamme george
will be contemplating on this and will find a way to settle this down among my system of thoughts :) whether I deny or affirm as a fellow romantic
Enchanting🥰
“But you have to make some space for that core self, and sing about it, because when it is satisfied, that’s the most satisfaction you ever get to feel.” This is so true. Perfectly written
Thank you. An avoidant ex reached out to me over a decade later and he's still so uptight and terrified of emotions and I just want to send this to him and be like "it's okay that however you felt about me was confusing and ugly and fucked up, but please at least own it instead of trying to act like your repression about it is mature and civil! Stop trying to simplify and whitewash it to make it all easier because then it simplifies it me, and I've done so much work to stop simplifying and reducing myself to be more digestible to men!" Thank you for giving me the language I need to keep open.
I love your thoughts here. I recently saw the great writer Hisham Matar talk and he said he only started writing about a topic when he had reached a place of 'passionate ambivalence'. Ambivalence is at the heart of all great writing I think, and it's why I like writing plays, which are characterized by dialectic, that feeling of push and pull.
can’t stop listening to Slim Slow Slider now. i went to buy that cd when i was ? 12 years old i think because my celebrity crush recommended it and the person at the CD store had a huuuge stack of mixed new arrivals. when i walked up to him i asked for Astral Weeks ans when i looked down that was the CD he was holding in his hand, in the middle of pricing.
haven’t listened to it in years, thank you for reposting this