10. Alan Watts Blues (1987). “Did Ye Get Healed” was the single from my personal favorite Van Morrison album, Poetic Champions Compose. “Give Me My Rapture” is a more complete, traditional song, and actually hit the charts. But to hear someone in the late 1980s still treating the teachings of Alan Watts with the level of depth and reverence they deserve, and capturing the Buddhist mindset perfectly in a song, makes this one of my favorite Van songs and puts it on the list to represent my favorite VM album.
9. Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile) (1972). This is one of the best ways to start an album: An acapella, “Da-da-DA-da-da, da-dada-da-da!” followed by an exposion of love and joy. The first track off Morrison’s sixth record, Saint Dominic’s Preview, this song hit #61 on the Billboard charts—but Dexys Midnight Runners rode it to #5 ten years later.
Covers:
8. Domino (1970). VM’s early albums are characterized by starting out with upbeat hit songs, and His Band and the Street Choir had one of the best. And many of his hits were tributes to his favorite music or performers. This one was about Fats “Blueberrry Hill” Domino. This song actually charted higher than Brown Eyed Girl—hitting #9 on the Billboard 100—making it Van Morrison’s highest charting song of all time—and an early example of Blue Eyed Soul.
Covers:
8. Crazy Love (1970). The second of three “Moondance” songs on my list, and perhaps Van Morrison’s most romantic song—written for Janet Planet, who he was married to at the time.
Covers: I have to lead with my favorite lesbian crush from when I was a young, then some more interesting ones…
7. Wild Night (1971). There’s no doubt Van can make beautiful music. But he can also rock out. This is yet another first song from an album (Tupelo Honey), designed to grab and pull you in before he immerses you in long-form songs.
Covers:
6. In the Garden (1986). Van’s “No Guru, No Method, No Teacher” may be his most musically complex album, and this song exemplifies why. It starts out as a gentle contemplation and ends with a chant: “No guru, no method, no teacher, just you and I in nature, in the garden” that at once recals the Bible and Van Morrison’s own early work on his masterpiece, “Astral Weeks.” His most mystical single.
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