What a difficult task, to choose 10 favorites from any era of Van's. Moondance got me hooked on Van in '76. Immediately began collecting his back-catalog and have purchased every effort released since. Tip a' the hat to you for even attempting this effort. I don't think I could do this, as my favorite Van tunes are so fluid and change with the seasons of my life. Best to you.
The Impossible Job. Thanks for sharing that with us Mal and your personal memories were a nice touch. I haven't listened to some of these albums in thirty years or more so I'd have to go back and listen again before attempting a list. Some songs stick in my head though and you picked a few of them. I'll just mention a few: Santa Fe/Beautiful Obsession (Wavelength) has one of his best vocal performances of the '70s. A very under-rated album. A Period of Transition is also overlooked and closes with the wonderful Cold Wind in August. Like you, I'd have to include the beautiful Eternal Kansas City from the same album. The arrangement and the lyrics about the city's jazz heritage make it really special. One of the highlights of his career. Number one would probably be the title track from St Dominic's Preview. 'Look at the man...' Need I say more ?
A great list Mal. I would consider two that were recorded in the 70's but not released until later on The Philosopher's Stone album, namely 'Not Supposed to Break Down' (1973) and 'Flamingoes Fly'(1974). Says it all that two of my favourites from his 70's recordings were unreleased at the time.
Cheers David -yes I totally forgot about the Philosophers Stone which has some great tracks. Flamingos Fly did appear on Period of Transition. Anyway, thanks again, you've inspired me to dig out my PS cd and I intend to revisit it later
Great list, always interesting to hear people talk about Van. I just discovered Van in the last year and have been diving deep into all of his albums. So far veedon fleece, no guru and astral weeks are my fav albums.
All in a game also is my standout elegiac love anthem - dont think Ive listened to any song as much as it. An existantial monument of a track of in the moment rhapsody
Great top 10 there VM my top 10 70s Van off the top of my head 10. And It Stoned Me 9. Cold Wind In August 8. Angeliou 7. Tupelo Honey 6. And The Healing Has Begun 5. You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River 4. Saint Dominics Preview 3. Into The Mystic 2. Almost Independence Day 1. Listen To The Lion could change tomorrow though 🤣
Cheers skl31- pretty similar to mine. You'll note that I included the Moondance album in my 'top 10 songs of the 60s' as, though it was released in January 1970, all the songs were written and recorded in the 60s. Thanks for sharing your top 10
When did Georgie Fame join VM's line-up, and for how long? I can remember being surprised to see GF on Hammond on VM's 'Moondance' at some televised gig but can't recall when. GF didn't have a manager for many years in 1990s-2000s. I remember a club manager in Leigh saying he had a hard job reaching GF without an agency to go through but GF was happy to come back to Leigh and do the half-empty afternoon gig about 2001. So GF still gigged with his own band and its balance of jazz and pop and blues and vintage standards. I've a feeling he was still doing that while also appearing in VM's band. 17:50 Stretching the "And" - - like Sinatra did in 'NYNY'? "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-An-n-d, if I can make it there..."
Phil Baird is definitely in the right area, but without doing some research-I'm hopeless at remembering dates. I recall the first time I seen him live with Georgie Fame at Newcastle City Hall. VM and the whole vibe was transformed by GF's energy and positivity. I seen them together many times after that, I think through to the early 2000s.
Hi Jim-I'm not sure how it originated, but he played 2 sets (afternoon and evening) in the 200 seat tiny 'Seamus Heavy Homeplace' in Bellaghy. We managed to get (expensive) tickets after being on a reserve list. So we flew over from Newcastle to Belfast and hired a car to get out to Bellaghy in County Derry. It was a fantastic experience-not just to see and hear VM and his brilliant band in such an intimate setting-but also to see VM perform in a very relaxed way- even with self deprecating humour.
Cool if you asked me ten years ago most of my list would be, dated between tupelo Honey to Saint Dominic's prevue Now although I'm still not big on hard-nose the highway it's not garbage but it's not a fav veedon fleece and wavelength are very solid it would be tricky in the seventies now to narrow Ivan's stuff down to ten
Cheers Richard- I don't know either-but I've chosen to understand it pretty literally. i.e. for all your forthright views and the noise you make, you ain't making any real difference.
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What a difficult task, to choose 10 favorites from any era of Van's. Moondance got me hooked on Van in '76. Immediately began collecting his back-catalog and have purchased every effort released since. Tip a' the hat to you for even attempting this effort. I don't think I could do this, as my favorite Van tunes are so fluid and change with the seasons of my life. Best to you.
Cheers Mike-your kind comment much appreciated
Great comments. What a decade! Musical genius.
The Impossible Job. Thanks for sharing that with us Mal and your personal memories were a nice touch. I haven't listened to some of these albums in thirty years or more so I'd have to go back and listen again before attempting a list. Some songs stick in my head though and you picked a few of them. I'll just mention a few: Santa Fe/Beautiful Obsession (Wavelength) has one of his best vocal performances of the '70s. A very under-rated album. A Period of Transition is also overlooked and closes with the wonderful Cold Wind in August. Like you, I'd have to include the beautiful Eternal Kansas City from the same album. The arrangement and the lyrics about the city's jazz heritage make it really special. One of the highlights of his career. Number one would probably be the title track from St Dominic's Preview. 'Look at the man...' Need I say more ?
Thanks Phil -I remember seeing a film of VM doing Cold wind in August on the OGWT in the 70s and being in wonder at the quality of the band.
That live version is absolutely superb-with a great band and that sparkly purple suit-brilliant.
A great list Mal. I would consider two that were recorded in the 70's but not released until later on The Philosopher's Stone album, namely 'Not Supposed to Break Down' (1973) and 'Flamingoes Fly'(1974). Says it all that two of my favourites from his 70's recordings were unreleased at the time.
Cheers David -yes I totally forgot about the Philosophers Stone which has some great tracks. Flamingos Fly did appear on Period of Transition. Anyway, thanks again, you've inspired me to dig out my PS cd and I intend to revisit it later
'Not Supposed To Break Down' would be 'top 10' for me.
Can any singer/songwriter come close to matching the brilliance and beauty of Van's music? I don't know of any. Thank you for your fine work.
I can't think of one either Chris-thanks for your kind comment
Another really enjoyable episode. Really good picks too 🍻
Further on up the road... Fantastic stuff.
Cheers Hillbilly...further on up, further on up, further on up........
A fine collection of vinyl you have there, sir. Great channel you have here, well done.
Cheers -your kind comments much appreciated
Great choices! Into the music is such a great LP! ❤
Cheers Martin
Great list, always interesting to hear people talk about Van. I just discovered Van in the last year and have been diving deep into all of his albums. So far veedon fleece, no guru and astral weeks are my fav albums.
Cheers lemon ninja- They are certainly 3 brilliant albums - in my top 10 VM albums video I have them at numbers 2,6 and 1 respectively
Excellent. What a run of albums! Although I should give Into the Music another listen or three.
Cheers JNebs-thanks for taking the time to watch and comment
All in a game also is my standout elegiac love anthem - dont think Ive listened to any song as much as it. An existantial monument of a track of in the moment rhapsody
JUST FOR STARTERS:
VEEDON FLEECE!!!!!
STREET CHOIR!!!
INTO THE MYSTIC, ETC!!!!!ETC ...ETC
Great top 10 there VM
my top 10 70s Van off the top of my head
10. And It Stoned Me
9. Cold Wind In August
8. Angeliou
7. Tupelo Honey
6. And The Healing Has Begun
5. You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River
4. Saint Dominics Preview
3. Into The Mystic
2. Almost Independence Day
1. Listen To The Lion
could change tomorrow though 🤣
Cheers skl31- pretty similar to mine. You'll note that I included the Moondance album in my 'top 10 songs of the 60s' as, though it was released in January 1970, all the songs were written and recorded in the 60s. Thanks for sharing your top 10
Lovely selections
Personally I’d make room for “Snow in San Anselmo” and “Take it where you find it” but it’s an impossible task
Thanks William-I agree-both great songs
When did Georgie Fame join VM's line-up, and for how long?
I can remember being surprised to see GF on Hammond on VM's 'Moondance' at some televised gig but can't recall when.
GF didn't have a manager for many years in 1990s-2000s. I remember a club manager in Leigh saying he had a hard job reaching GF without an agency to go through but GF was happy to come back to Leigh and do the half-empty afternoon gig about 2001. So GF still gigged with his own band and its balance of jazz and pop and blues and vintage standards. I've a feeling he was still doing that while also appearing in VM's band.
17:50 Stretching the "And" - - like Sinatra did in 'NYNY'? "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-An-n-d, if I can make it there..."
Monkey will know for sure but Georgie joined Van around the late '80s early '90s. He was always a great addition to the band.
Phil Baird is definitely in the right area, but without doing some research-I'm hopeless at remembering dates. I recall the first time I seen him live with Georgie Fame at Newcastle City Hall. VM and the whole vibe was transformed by GF's energy and positivity. I seen them together many times after that, I think through to the early 2000s.
He played in Bellaghy eh. Love to know how that came about
Hi Jim-I'm not sure how it originated, but he played 2 sets (afternoon and evening) in the 200 seat tiny 'Seamus Heavy Homeplace' in Bellaghy. We managed to get (expensive) tickets after being on a reserve list. So we flew over from Newcastle to Belfast and hired a car to get out to Bellaghy in County Derry. It was a fantastic experience-not just to see and hear VM and his brilliant band in such an intimate setting-but also to see VM perform in a very relaxed way- even with self deprecating humour.
Cool if you asked me ten years ago most of my list would be, dated between tupelo Honey to Saint Dominic's prevue
Now although I'm still not big on hard-nose the highway it's not garbage but it's not a fav veedon fleece and wavelength are very solid it would be tricky in the seventies now to narrow Ivan's stuff down to ten
Isn't it actually a recorder on Streets of Arklow (not a flute)? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streets_of_Arklow
I think you're right there springer-thanks for the correction-and thanks for watching
You don’t pull no punches but you don’t push the river-great song, but I’ve no clue what the title means
Cheers Richard- I don't know either-but I've chosen to understand it pretty literally. i.e. for all your forthright views and the noise you make, you ain't making any real difference.
That makes sense, thanks
What - no room for Linden Arden stole the highlights on this list. What are you thinking about?
great song-BUT- the two reasons it didn't get in: (a) it's short, and (b) it maybe doesn't quite fit with the themes around the rest of the album?
This is not good at all. Listened to your top two and liked them. Too much blood in my alcohol stream, I think. Soon put that right.