Van the Man

Following on from Andrew's post about John Donne, I have been moved to say a few words about Van Morrison here.

In many ways, Van Morrison has been my guru throughout my life so far. Growing up, my parents listened to virtually nothing else - they own every single one of his albums, on vinyl of course, and these were played at every social occasion and (on tape) on every car journey. There are many reasons to love his work, but here are just a few.

Firstly, the quality of Morrison's music is undeniable. His work is not readily placed into any particular genre, although his main influences are clearly blues, jazz and soul. The music is instantly recognisable in a way that hardly any artists today can claim. Need I say more?

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, is the spiritual journey that Van Morrison has taken us on. Brought up in the Church of Ireland (post-disestablishment, the remains of the Anglican church in Ireland which retains much of its original Catholic heritage while being obviously Protestant), Morrison has also been keenly interested in Celtic mythology and religion. Much of his lesser-known work, particularly the albums Inarticulate Speech of the Heart and Avalon Sunset, deal with his fascination with ancient Celtic culture and mythology. This is a subject particularly close to my heart, having grown up in the County of Somerset, where the Isle of Avalon is located (much of Somerset, being mainly below sea level, consisted of several small islands until it was feasible to drain the area in the 17th Century). Avalon is believed to be the location of Jesus' visit to England; Joseph of Arimathea is said to have planted his staff in the ground, for it to grow into a tree which remained until it was uprooted during the Civil War. See
Glastonbury for more on that.

The most refreshing thing about Morrison's interest in Celtic mythology, however, is that unlike the majority of quasi-hippies who hang around Glastonbury promoting their fake potions and phoney religious views, he has remained true to the Faith. Indeed, the Celtic aspects of our heritage has only strengthened his beliefs. The 1991 album, Hymns to the Silence, reaffirmed Morrison's Christian ideals with versions of Just a Closer Walk with Thee and Be Thou my Vision (a hymn based on a traditional Celtic tune), as well as original compositions which glorify God in a relaxed, unpretentious manner. There are many Christian bands and artists who, with varying degrees of success, seek to advance their faith through music; Morrison, however, is best described as a musician who is also actively Christian rather than a Christian musician. Many of his fans do not share or even know of his faith, yet it is difficult to see how anyone could hear Whenever God Shines His Light on Me and not be moved (despite featuring Cliff Richard).

In short, Van Morrison as philosopher, poet and musician, represents my own upbringing (across the Catholic/Protestant divide) and ultimately the essence of the Celtic/Christian tradition that forms the basis of the culture of the British Isles. If anyone can be said to be raving on in the footsteps of John Donne, Van Morrison must surely be a candidate.

[As a postscript, Morrison now lives in Bath, the opposite side of Avalon to my family home. Recently, he is reported to have walked into Harpoon Louis's, a bar in my home town of Taunton, carrying a guitar, sat down in the back room and played a two-hour acoustic set, all without announcement or even speaking to anyone. If only I had been there!]