Chords for Van Morrison Biography: Life and Career of the Singer-Songwriter

[N] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ He just wants to have [Ebm] one more moon dance [Am] with you. _ _ _
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _
[Ab] Welcome to WatchMojo [E].com
and today we're taking a look [A] at the life and career of Van Morrison. _ _
[E] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ [A] _ _
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_ _ [Am] _ George Ivan Morrison was born [C] August 31st, 1945
[A] in Belfast, Northern [E] Ireland.
Thanks to his father's extensive [Db] record collection,
he was exposed to music [Am] early and joined his first band
at 12.
Morrison [B] gained his first taste of success
outside his homeland with the group Them in the mid-60s.
[Gb] Their live shows, plus hits like their Baby Please Don't [F] Go cover
got them noticed. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Ab] _ _ _ And while [Bb] Morrison penned the popular anthem Gloria during this time [E] with the band, _
_ _ [Em] _ _ [D] _ _ he [G] left Them in 1966 [Dm] to pursue
[E] a solo career.
[D] _ _ [Em] _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
_ [D] _ [Am] He then recorded several tracks for Bang Records,
[E] which were released as [C] Van Morrison's [A] solo debut, Lowin' Your Mind,
in [G] 1967.
_ _ [C] _
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [D] _
_ Most [G] notably,
that rockin' [C] R&B effort yielded the [G] pop success
which later became his [D] signature tune and a much-covered track.
_ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ [E] _ _ [Em] _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ [G] _ _
Despite personal
and professional obstacles, Morrison soon found a home with [C] Warner Brothers Records.
[G] With Them, he released _ [C] 1968's musical masterpiece Astral Weeks.
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ This record demonstrated his ambitious use of [Abm] diverse genres and [D] styles
like blues, soul, jazz [C] and folk. _ _ _
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Despite slow-going commercial success, the [D] concept album came to be known
as one of [C] Morrison's best works.
_ _ 1970's Moon Dance
continued [Abm] Morrison's critical recognition.
[A] It also heightened his fame
and chart success after it reached Billboard's [Bb] Top 30.
The album [Gb] saw the artist add R&B and country rock to his sound
and [Am] gave him a Top 40 [D] single with Come _ [A] _ _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _
_ _ [Gbm] Runnin'.
_ [A] _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ [A] As well [D] as a radio success with the title cut.
[Am] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [A] That same year, Morrison [Am] had his highest charting [D] single
when Domino, off His Band and [Ab] the Street Choir,
[Am] peaked at number nine on [A] Billboard.
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
He released seven more studio albums [Bb] during the _ 1970s,
including the country-oriented Tupelo Honey _
[Dm] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _
[Bb] _ _ and the genre [A]-mixing Top 20 record St.
Dominic's Preview. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ [Em] Other significant efforts
were the lyrically [D] complex Veed and Fleece, the gold-certified [A] pop [Bm]-flavored
Wavelength and the inspirational Into the Music.
_ [G] _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ [D] _ _ _ Notwithstanding bouts of stage fright,
the Belfast cowboy [Gm] was at the height of his [D] stage prowess
during [F] the [E] 1970s, as demonstrated on the [G] live album
[Gb] It's Too Late to Stop Now [B] and during his [A] legendary performance [D] with The Band
during [Bb] The Last [C] Waltz concert.
_ _ [B] _ _ _ _ [F] _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [Cm] _ _
_ [E] _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ [Abm] After opening the [Bm] 1980s with the jazzy but poorly received [D] Common One,
Morrison [C] returned to critics' favors with [Eb] the Celtic-infused
Beautiful Vision.
[Bb] _ _ _ [Gm] _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ [Eb] _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _
He expanded his spiritual [B] interests
in many of that decade's [Eb] albums.
Examples [B] included the heavily [C] instrumental
inarticulate [G] Speech of the Heart, the [D] haunting No Guru, No Method, No [C] Teacher,
and the highly regarded Poetic [G] Champions Compose.
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ 1989's Avalon Sunset
[F] even spawned a [B] Top 20 UK [Gm] duet with Cliff Richard.
_ [G] _ _ _ _ [Am] _
[Em] _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ While [A] continuing to tour and record new [C] material,
the artist [Gm] gained newfound [G] popularity in [C] the early 90s
with [Cm] the Best of Van Morrison compilation.
Notable records from this [C] period
included [B] the critically [Em] and commercially well-received Too [Ab] Long in Exile,
the [C] Mercury Prize-nominated [A] Days Like This, and the blues and R&B disc
Back [Am] on Top.
_ _ [Bm] _
_ [C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ In addition to writing new music, Morrison launched [C] his own label,
played several gigs, and issued several [Bb] compilations
[E] in the new millennium.
[G] Following a duet [C] album with Linda Gale Lewis,
[Em] he reached the Top 30 [Gbm] with Down the [C] Road and
earned a Grammy nod for the bluesy [Ab] What's Wrong With This [E] Picture.
_ _ [G] _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [B] _ _ _
[Am] _ _ [B] _ [Gb] In [Ab] 2008,
Van Morrison had [Eb] his highest US chart showing yet
when Keep [E] It Simple premiered at the 10th [D] position of the [F] Billboard 200. _
_ [Bb] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [F] _ _ [D] _ Born to Sing, No [F] Plan B was unveiled in [Dm] 2012.
Serving up some of Van Morrison's political [Em] and social observations,
along [Ab] with spiritual musings, the album also featured his [E] trademark fusion
of musical styles.
_ [D] _ _ _
[E] _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _ _ _
_ _ [D] _ [E] With his unique voice,
poetic lyrics, [Ab] and uplifting live performances,
[Gb] Van Morrison has proven his [E] musical talents time and time again.
[A] _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ [Gbm] _ _ But [Am] it's his mix of soul,
[Cm] pop, [D] jazz, blues, R&B, skiffle,
[C] Celtic folk, gospel, and rock [G] that truly makes him
Van the Man.
_ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
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