Moondance
(13/100 Greatest Irish Albums)

Astral Weeks is cited by many as Van Morrison’s greatest artistic achievement but Moondance remains the album that broke him commercially. Released in March 1970 and produced and arranged entirely by Morrison, Moondance was much closer to Stax soul and hippy folk than the jazz and orchestral leanings of its predecessor. It proved much more accessible to audiences and at least two of the tracks – ‘Crazy Love’ and the title cut – have become widely covered pop standards, while tracks like the horn-driven ‘Caravan’ would turn up again and again in Morrison’s career, most notably as a highlight in the film The Last Waltz.
Despite the memorable melodies, Morrison’s lyrics remained heavily spiritual and soul-searching as highlighted by the key track, ‘Into The Mystic’ which continues to be a live favourite.
Moondance was also Morrison’s first solo album to chart, reaching number 32 in America and 29 in the UK.