Despite the passing of time, Van Morrison’s album has lost none of its elusive mysticism, its lyrics open to as many interpretations as there are listeners. Magically merging elements of folk, jazz, blues and rock, using mainly acoustic instruments, it was recorded over two evenings. Van was at his most viscerally instinctive, encased, both physically and metaphorically, in a glass studio booth, barely in touch with the other, mainly jazz, musicians and yet producing, often improvising, a work of eternal intrigue.
‘Cypress Avenue’ reflects on lost innocence, and the often under-rated ‘Slim Slow Slider’ is a graphic depiction of heroin, while the majestic ‘Madame George’ continues to excite and baffle, with a line thought to be a reference to drag queens later described by Van as referring to a game of dominoes!
The separation of the two vinyl sides under the subheadings “In The Beginning” and “Afterwards” compounds the mystery while losing none of the magic. Evocative images in phrases such as “the diamond-studded highway” and symbolic references like “the barefoot virgin child” saw Morrison labelled as a poet. Despite bearing eternal truths from that hinterland beyond words, the album was given a lukewarm reception, only gaining in stature over the years, until in 2003 it was voted the best Irish album ever by a panel of musicians.