Whole album is glorious. My go to album when I need re-centring, calmed and thrilled and chilled at the same time.

to be 22 years old and producing this masterpiece pure genuis

If there is such a thing as the greatest album ever recorded, then I think Astral Weeks may be a strong contender. I didn't always feel that way, but it's a piece of work that has grown on me over the years. At the risk of sounding hopelessly pretentious, there is something wonderfully organic, and spiritual about it. It is like being present at a moment of birth or creation, the spontaneous distillation of poetry and music captured in time. The only similar work that comes to mind is River, by Terry Reid. It is a stream of consciousness, as much as it is a contrivance. Van Morrison and the band actually recorded separately, if I remember correctly, the musicians improvising to Van's basic guitar and vocal tracks, and the strings added later. So, a lot of credit has to go to the producer. My favourite track on the album is Ballerina.

This is one of the best albums ever. Van is trying to use the music here to push himself, the other musicians, and us listeners into a transcendent, mystical state. He wants to take us "to another time, to another place." And it works. You put this album on and listen to the whole thing, and you finish it in a completely altered state of consciousness. Van did not want to rehearse this music much. He wanted to find the magic through a spontaneous adventure with the song and the musicians.

I first heard this album in the spring of 1974 in Minneapolis. I bought the album after hearing Cypress Avenue playing in a small record store, took it home and couldn’t stop listening to it. I was 17 and it was springtime after my first northern winter. The album had a hypnotic effect on me. I still love this album each time I hear it. The whole story revealed through the songs as they open into the mind of the listener was surprisingly controversial and beautiful at the time. It had a mind opening effect on me then and reminds me of my youthful naïveté’. I think the only person I know who understands this album in the way I do is my wife, who loves it with the same fervor as I do. I hope you listen closely to the whole Bildungsroman of this album and are able to embrace its full poignancy.

Beauty, tears , jazz, mysticism, folk, wow greatest album ever.

Love Van Morrison. His albums are great to just sit and listen to as a whole. Also perfect to have on while making dinner or as background music when hanging out with friends. He was always able to weave his faith into his music in such a way as to be listen-worthy for anyone. I won't suggest songs because you won't go too far wrong with anything. Thanks for the listen.

Van Morrison is truly one of a kind. I'd pay to hear him read the phone book. His songs often seem to be sort of a meditative jazz. But just as often gregarious celebrations of the cosmos. I find it difficult to recommend any single track as he's one of those artists that ooze genius. From his early days with Them to his excursions into traditional Irish fiddle tunes in combo with The Irish Rovers he is an artist that insinuates himself into your love of life. For me, I find myself listening to Rave On John Donne most often. Not that his commercial stuff is not incredible. John Donne is a master class.

Death, reincarnation, the parade of memory, the moment of transubstantiation - Will we meet in the astral plane? Is this goodbye forever? Is it okay to let go and embrace forever with you still bound to earth?

I played this on my Sony Walkman in 1982 while being driven through the fields and tree lined roads of France going toward Belgium. I was 14.

Those bouncy acoustic guitars underneath the rising and falling strings with Van Morrison crooning over it- one of the smoothest sounds ever.

Upvote for the whole album... Cypress Avenue and Madame George at a minimum but the album is a set piece... He's got other great albums as well but you're starting in the right place.

Album was recorded in Sep 1968 just after Van turned 23 yrs. Absolutely incredible piece of music for a man of that age. His best album along with Veedon Fleece and Hymns to the Silence.

We'll never see anything like this again. Recording/editing/overdubbing is so cheap and easy that the artist can easily control every detail of the final track. Everything can be planned out perfectly, and almost nothing can be created that is beyond the ability of the artist to plan. So we have this absolutely unique album. Van Morrison, then a raw young garage rock burnout who could barely afford the sessions, just singing his heart out. Richard Davis, who Van barely even spoke to, gives one of the best bass performances ever on a pop album, and leads a crack jazz band recruited for an artist who didn't really know anything about jazz. Van hated Lewis Merenstein's string overdubs, but he couldn't do anything about it, and they suit the songs brilliantly.

This album will move you heart and soul, guaranteed. Unfortunately "Brown Eyed Girl" has been flogged like the proverbial deceased equine over the years that it can turn people off delving into the master story teller that is Van The Man. Van is up there with Samuel Beckett and James Joyce as encapsulating the Irish culture, history and soul...in my humble opinion; an absolute masterpiece of the lyrical form is this album. Released in 1968....that's right 1968! They way you pointed out his vocal as being an integral part of the painting rather than a stand out was a beautiful way to describe the whole feel of the piece. bravo good sir. Thanks for posting Justin; and please don't stop here; "Madam George", "Cypress Avenue", and from the "Moondance " album, "Into The Mystic" are just 3 compulsory Van stories that should be heard. peace - out

A masterpiece of an album. The title track is a magnificent lead-off...Two moments that still bring chills after all these years of hearing it are: the building up of tension with the swelling strings leading to the 'release' of the chorus (at 5:30) and when after riffing off of "in another time...in another place" in sort of a mantra way, he just whispers them (at 8:14).

Thanks for an excellent description and analysis of a masterpiece of a song. I've been following Van Morrison's art for decades, and I see him as one of the geniuses of our time.

Van the Man, close your eyes and you feel the emotion,Genius true Music. Veeden Fleece and No Method no Guru...is also Gold Album Ray Charles say the best white blues singer ever

The entire album is one piece of work. Tracks flow into each other as you flow through the whole album. This is what CD's were invented for. ;-) I look forward to you journeying through the rest of the album.

Astral Weeks is my favourite Van Morrison album (although I haven't heard all of them) and it served as my introduction to Van Morrison as a solo artist. I didn't really warm to it until I heard it through a really good stereo system from a vinyl source (all there was at the time) which allowed it to really open up and show me all that was going on and it was this track that made it for me. I see it as him talking to his mother with himself as the little boy being looked after, the leatherette shoes being a symbol of their poverty and reflecting on his life and how it compared to her dreams for him. But maybe that's just me. It's odd that John Payne would say how unusual it was to be given that freedom because he and most of the musicians were jazz players and improvisation on a basic theme is a central tenet in jazz, hence the term "the sound of surprise" to describe it. Maybe he just meant in the context of pop music. Yep, this is what pop music sounded like in the 60s - you're welcome 21st century, now try harder! I first heard Van when he was a member of the group Them. They released a single With Baby Please Don't Go as the A side that was perfectly in keeping with the burgeoning blues boom in the 60s UK. It was fire and the only other band of the time that could do it justice were The Animals - and they did. He also referenced blues legend Leadbelly (Huddy Leadbetter) in Astral Weeks. But what made the single perfect was the B side, Gloria, written by Van, which has since been covered many times, my favourite other than his own being Patti Smith's version.

For many years, as a person of faith, whenever I needed to hear music of spiritual depth, I would go to artists like Van Morrison, Bruce Cockburn, U2, George Harrison, Pete Townshend and such, because so much of what passes as specifically "Christian music" is so shallow and lame (at least as far as rock oriented music goes). Van Morrison is a treasure, and this whole album is worth exploring. Van Morrison inhabits his own spiritual world and is hard to explain, but what an amazing world it is!

Fun fact: Randy Bachman of The Guess Who (and, later, of BTO) tells a story of being backstage w/ T.G.W. bandmate Burton Cummings at a gig in Winnipeg, Manitoba circa the late '60s/early '70s. They came upon a tiny man who was crying with his head in his hands. It was none other than a quite young "Van The Man" (as he's known to we, his ardent fans)! Van told them that his only guitar had been stolen, & that he was flat broke. At the time, Bachman happened to have an endorsement deal w/ a guitar company. He ended up giving Van his own personal guitar which Van proceeded to bring on tour! :-)

A beautiful, deeply spiritual song. “I’m just a stranger in this world, I’ve got a home on high”.

I was absolutely delighted to see you do this one tonight! Please keep going, Justin. This is one of the most transcendentally beautiful albums ever made. There's gold in them thar hills!

Awesome choice JP. One of the unique moments in the music of the 60s’. When people who grew up in the 60’s claim it was a ‘special time’, it is pieces of music like this that offer evidence that we’re not just saying it because it was the music of our time. There was magic.

Justin, this album is perfect, every song is another journey and worth your time. The whole is even better than each individual song

This was Van's 1st album after being in the pop band Them and having top hits like Brown-eyed Girl and Gloria. So he goes into the studio (for 3 sessions) and comes out with THIS. All I can say is that his bravery as an artist is endless.

It's perfection. Or as close to perfection as you will ever experience in a life time.

The GREATEST, most poetic lyrics in rock!

I had this album on a Sony walkman when I was in high school and would walk home from school listening to this every day.

Definitely in the stack of 20 albums I’d take to a deserted island. Van Morrison’s voice is at its most beautiful; and the songs...the production...yeah - Astral Weeks is perfect.

It's a journey. With Van, you always end up in a different place than you started from.

Top 10 album of all-time.

JP, you should check out the live video of Van Morrison singing Caravan at The Last Waltz. One of the best moments from one of the best nights of recorded music ever put down- and it was filmed!

Beautifully put his voice as another colour in the painting that is this song. He is pure music.

Hi JP, It was a breakthrough album but producer really added too many strings throughout album. A must listen is to the original master recordings. It is called Van Morrison, the Bang Master sessions. This is where Brown Eyed Girl has 2 takes and gritty and passionate versions of Madame George and Beside You from Astral Weeks. There is also original version of TB Sheets. One other song is strong and that is Joe Harper Saturday Morning. There are 24 full songs on cd and another 25 of him shaping ideas in the studio. Cheers

These musicians soul along with Van made this album.. off the cuff and without modern sound equipment 1968. Perfection is only done via divine intervention

I love the moment when the tempo accelerates and whisks you upward, as if you’re a kid again, being spun around in circles by your mom or dad, flying through the air and then suddenly you’re a planet rocketing around a distant star, and dying and being reborn, and holy hell is this an amazing song.

Celtic Soul music. People either get Van the Man or they don't. In his best moments he channels his performances from something bigger than himself. He's been at it for many decades, still putting out new albums regularly. For me his best is the 1987 "No Guru, No Method, No Teacher", not a bad song in sight. "Astral Weeks" is a very early album, his voice would mature and sound better to my ears. This whole album is a ride, you just have to get on board and let it take you along. If you listen to more you'll hear a lot of different genres he pulls from including jazz, country, folk, rock 'n' roll.

Van Morrison's music is very blues and jazz influenced with ancient Celtic undertones. He is quite unique as an artist and has really no one else he compares with.

They call it a masterpiece! If you only know Brown Eyed Girl, you never heard the rest of Van Morrison. I love this and discovered it in the 90s. Way back when this was out, radio would have never played it! I have listened to it hundred and more times!! I sure wish I could have the DVD of Live at the Hollywood Bowl 2008; it is just not around!

A revelatory album. And this is an achievement as Morrison is notorious for pulling his music off youtube. I've been lucky to see him perform live. Hes very mercurial. He goes through periods where he will not perform older music. In recent years his performances are not as consistent as one may hope. I hope he tours again!!

"Astral Weeks" is a truly timeless album1 It could be released tomorrow or 70 years ago - sort of feels like it has always been here before, if you know what I mean. Van taps into the mystic eternal fer sure...

This is probably my favorite album of all time.

Van Morrison has an amazing catalog. If I had to pick just one favorite it would be "Listen to the Lion"

A must have for any serious music collection

This is in my Top 5 albums all time. The re-master is amazing (which is not always the case). Best album of 1968. Period. The blend of folk, soul, jazz and spiritual moves me in ways nothing else does. But then, that's Van (the Man) Morrison. Can't wait for you to get to "Madame George, Sweet Thing" and "Cyprus Avenue". ALSO: This was recorded over three days in New York with the backing musicians unsure what he was going to do. He had the lyrics scrawled out and kinda conducted them with the way he strummed the acoustic to give them the peaks and valleys (as it were).

Van Morrison has always had excellent arrangements and his voice is part of those arrangements. Treat him like a sort of musical word poem. Your comment about walking beside the river is very appropriate to most of his music. It is very atmospheric. Very meditative.

Love this album...glad you're tapping into it. This album, I believe, is designed to be a "stream of consciousness" type of album. More for the feel of the songs rather than any deep lyrics.

He has done dozens of legendary songs, here are some of his best; into The Mystic, Moondance, Have I-told You Lately, And It Stoned Me,Crazy Love, Sweet Thing,Wild Night, Jackie Wilson Said,Domino, Caravan,and Bright Side of the Road! So many legendary, change your world type of songs!👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️☮️☮️✌🏻✌🏻

Van Morrison is among the gods of Rock n' Roll!!!! Love him!!! no one is like him!!!!

Excellent song and you are right...it is like walking on the river in a Autumn day...just chillin'!!!! Love it!!!!

Pretty much Van Morisson in a nutshell. One of our best storytellers. Several of his albums are listenworty.

All these comments should be telling... After a few years digesting his massive solo catalog, check him out as a teenage irish r&b singer with a band called Them. They did the original version of the classic Gloria.

Yeay! Van the Man ftw! Glad you liked it! A special kind of soul music!

There is also a live version of this album that Van. did several years ago..

I have never heard this song before but was immediately drawn in by the music and his voice, which begs the question, why have I not heard it? I'm an old FM station listening dude from the days when DJ's could play a lot of what they wanted. His music takes me to another place.

Van "the Man" Morrison, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. "Astral Weeks" is his masterpiece, mindblowing.

I'm not that familiar with a lot of Van Morrison's work, but I've heard a few of his bigger hits, and his voice is unmistakable. Great, mellow, soulful listening! Really enjoyed it!

Would you believe the whole album is just as good or better!!!!!!

I had only heard Sweet Thing off this album before now (which I greatly enjoy) so this was a nice treat. I would recommend the Moondance album (starting with the title track and It Stoned Me but I feel every song on the album is worth a listen). Thanks for covering this.

Oe thing you learn about VM is that you FEEL his music no hear it. Cheers, Chicago Ray

Thanks for doing this song and for your excellent review. Van Morrison was a major part of the musical landscape of my youth. A musical genius in my opinion. Hope you continue with the rest of this album.

Very happy to see you reacting to the amazing Van Morrison!!!! One of my favorite singer/songwriters of my era!!!! Lovely reaction and analysis!!!! ;)

That whole album would deserve a reaction! But if you have to pick a few songs from it, I suggest "Sweet Thing" and "Madame George". "Young Lovers Do" is another favorite.

Please more Van! There are so many dynamic songs where I would really enjoy your perspective. Not even my favorites, break down the drums on "these dreams of you" or "tupelo honey". Great song, fun band. After that, we can really get into it

Thanks for your thoughtful (as always) review of a song from one of my favorite albums of all time. I’m so mad at myself for selling all my albums and turntable because I was desperate for money! If you haven’t already, please react to “Ballerina,” “Sweet Thing” (worth it just to hear the touches of triangle throughout),” and “The Way Young Lovers Do.” As others have said, Astral Weeks-the whole album-is really one piece, best listened to from beginning to end. That’s the way most albums were back in the 60s and 70s, but this one even more so.

This is one of those songs that it is impossible to imagine being performed by someone else. I have no idea what it is about, but its poetry and imagery , its extraordinary instrumental arrangement, and Morrison's stunning vocal all join to produce a musical moment that never fails to move me. Thanks for reminding me how great this is.

A superb album, first heard it whilst hanging out in Goa (1971) and it;s remained one of my favourites ever since. Subsequently in 2009 I got to see Van perform the entire album live at Londons' Albert Hall, it was a privilege. Great choice JP, do yourself a favour and even if it's just for yourself listen to the complete album.

@JustJP , Van was only 23-years-old (which astounds me!) when he wrote this gorgeous concept album. He was also madly in love at the time. The entire album, to me, is soothing. It brings back memories of my one (late) true love who introduced me to all kinds of music.

Brilliant album

Now you are talking my language again!. You have to check out prior album. There are 2 monster songs on LP. One was one of the greatest most popular song of late 60's into mid 70's: Brown Eyed Girl!!! Unfortunately he made deal with Irish mobsters and didn't make a dime from millions of plays :( Second song is 10 minutes groove named " TB Sheets Blues. It is awesome. You should wiki song as it describes story behind song. Very important. As for A W, it is a dreamy song reaching forward to a young future boy relative. A masterpiece!. Cheers, Chicago Ray

Van in incredible. I think "Into the Mystic" is one that is definitely a must hear, but really just about any song is worth a listen and he's got a meaty discography.

Great album: Cypress Avenue is my personal favourite Van The Man is an interesting character: enigmatic, curmudgeonly, mega-talented and well worth investigating. I’ve seen him live twice and consider both concerts to be in my personal top ten

Dude, I'm going to create a new portmanteau to describe your analysis style: erusightful. Meaning, erudite and insightful. I own this album (one of four Van Morrison albums in my library), but on first listen, I did not enjoy it as much as I do Moondance, so I've never really given it another chance. Until today. Because of you. Also because of you, tomorrow, Astral Weeks will be one of *eight* Van Morrison albums in my collection. (The Man's got forty-one studio albums! *Forty* *One* I have some catching up to do...) Thanks for a pleasant morning; been listening to Astral Weeks, Moondance, Tupelo Honey, and Beautiful Vision since watching your video (really taking advantage of being semi retired, doing restful things). Carry on, friend!

It's one of the all time greatest albums. Do yourself a favor and review the whole thing.

Also my favorite album by VM has to be St. Dominic's Preview. Title track,Spectacular!. Recorded in San Francisco. Whole album less one song are all masterpieces.

Love that album and have for 5 decades. I like the Veedon Fleece album too , probably even more than Astral Weeks.

It depends on my mood but I go back and forth between this and Veedon Fleece.

Van was what, about 22 when this was recorded? Pretty heady stuff for 1967.

Into The Mystic studio version Please ! Even just for your own listening pleasure !

Nice way to start the morning,great choice!

My experience with VM has always been in a social setting, a bar or house party. Generally, hanging with friends and VM go hand in hand. Never ever owned an album of his but I've enjoyed his music over the years. Nice choice, some great music to explore here.

Great album, great review. I’m not especially a fan of Van the Man, but this album holds a special place in my heart. The feel is consistent through the whole journey, the songwriting, his depth and passion as a singer, and the mood endures the years. You can’t go wrong with any other tracks on the album, it’s rich pickings. Suggest Just Like a Ballerina, Madame George, Cypress Avenue. Keep up the good work.

I like the way the instruments ebb and flow and how the flute weaves in and out of the mix. I'm never sure about his vocals, with that really nasal tone and heavily distorted, snarly vowels - like Jagger on steroids. Yet somehow he keeps me listening.

Here I am trying to conserve data, and you put this in front of me. 😄 Wonderful song. Great album. Great review. It's been a while since I heard this. You brought out some new things, others I'd forgotten. The album as a whole is very interesting. It's unique in his catalogue.

The whole album is worth the time. Sweet Thing is my favorite Van Morrison recording.

Hi JP. Astral Weeks was voted the perfect album of all time. So please listen to more tracks. I have seen him 4 times Mostly at festivals. He comes on, plays his music and goes. He is no Mick Jagger. It is all about his message through songs he writes mostly himself. Well respected.

The arrangement of this song is just miraculous. Morrison got together many of the best jazz musicians of the era, told them little about the arrangement, and just did take after take after take (more than 50) until Van was happy. Although it's all done in one take, it's definitely not the first take. The musicians seem to be in each others' heads, and they built to that over time. As for the meaning, I think it's about doing and being reborn in heaven.

One of the most important artists of the last 50 odd years. This is a very special album, when I saw him live a few years ago I was fortunate to see the great Chris Farlowe singing in his band. Sir George is a very great songwriter and musician but he's gone a bit extreme lately with his anti lockdown protest songs, he's obviously entitled to his opinion though. A nice review for a nice song.

Excellent analysis, Sir

What an incredible song! Van is from Massachusetts I think and we have a family friend who is a singer songwriter from Massachusetts and he played a small gig on the same ticket with van in the sixties or something before he got big. Later our friend went to a party a friends house and when he knocked on the door Van opened it and said sarcastically, “Oh, it’s you.” 😅

Check out Into The Mystic, Redwood Tree, Tupelo Honey, Streets Of Arklow, and Wild Night, all from his early '70's period - my favorite period of Van's. I find most of Astral Weeks a bit tiring with the exception of Slim Slow Slider.

BTW you're doing a fantastic job, although you do reviews on other music I truly appreciate your passion for Prog keep up the good work brother 👍

Hey Justin My Man!! Van the Man Morrison!! Nice!! This was just a SPOT ON very entertaining reaction JP!! Every word spoken was so on point!! I love that about you how your sincerity just flows out!! It's so refreshing!! So cool yo see you appreciate GREAT MUSIC you've never heard before!! Van Morrison is so unique and in a songwriting vocal group I would compare to Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens! One note and you know who it is!! I don't own any Van Morrison but my favorite song of his is: INTO THE MYSTIC!! Please get to that one eventually!!! He does create a mood when he sings for sure!! I love the sun goosebumps reference!! Lol!! I would love to hang out and play my music collection for you!! I'm sure everyone here on this channel would love to also!! You seem like a really kind soul that this world needs so much of right now!! Keep up the great work my friend and don't forget my new plugs: CARPENTERS- BLESS THE BEASTS AND CHILDREN, JONI MITCHELL- THE CIRCLE GAME, & SUZANNE VEGA- LAST YEARS TROUBLES!! OR ANY CAT STEVENS SONG WILL DO ALSO!!! SEE YOU SOON!! YOUR #1 AZ FAN MICHAEL😽😸😊😊

Very Mantra like.

Astral Yes!

Great video. If you are going to do more Van Morrison, you have to check out "Moondance". Just sayin'.

Check out: Into the Mystic, Moondance.

My understanding is that Van Morrison started his musical journey as a saxophone player. Whenever i hear his vocals, i hear them as though through a sax - approached as saxophone lines.