Bulbs (song)

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“Bulbs”
“Bulbs” cover
Single by Van Morrison
from the album Veedon Fleece
A-side "Bulbs"
B-side "Cul de Sac"
Released November 1974
Genre Folk-Rock
Length 4:19
Label Warner Bros. Records
Writer(s) Van Morrison
Producer Van Morrison
Van Morrison singles chronology
"Ain't Nothing You Can Do"
(1974)		 "Bulbs"
(1974)		 "Caledonia (What Makes Your Big Head Hard?)"
(1974)
Veedon Fleece track listing
"You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push the River"
(5)		 "Bulbs"
(6)		 "Cul De Sac"
(7)

"Bulbs" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1974 album, Veedon Fleece. It was chosen as the 'A' side single from the album and has been described as "a pleasant, catchy country ditty, a Dire Straits song before its time" by biographer, John Collis.[1]As with many of Morrison's songs, "Bulbs" does not have a clear story line but in part focuses on immigration to America as in the lines,

She's leaving for an American
Suitcase in her hand
I said her brothers and her sisters
Are all on Atlantic sand

It was inspired during the singer's vacation trip back to Ireland after being away since 1967 in the U.S.. The title seems to be derived from the lines,

And her batteries are corroded
And her hundred watt bulb just blew

Contents

[edit] History

"Bulbs" was first recorded with different lyrics at the recording session for the 1973 album, Hard Nose the Highway. After the first recording for Veedon Fleece, it was recut in New York City along with "Cul de Sac" to give it a more rock feeling. According to Jeff Labes this was "cause he (Morrison) didn't feel they had the right feeling...It was me, Van and a bunch of other guys that he'd never played with."[2]

[edit] Personnel on original recording

[edit] Appearance on other albums or DVD

A live performance of this song is featured on the 1974 disc of Morrison's 2006 issued DVD, Live At Montreux 1980/1974. Morrison used a stripped down band on this Montreaux Jazz Festival appearance that consisted of:

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Collis, (1996). p.140-141
  2. ^ Heylin, (2003) p.284

[edit] References

  • Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Little Brown and Company, ISBN 0-306-80811-0
  • Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7

[edit] External links