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- For the 1945 Scotty Wiseman song, see Have I Told You Lately that I Love You? (1945 song).
"Have I Told You Lately" is a hit song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1989 album Avalon Sunset. It is a romantic ballad often played at weddings although it was originally written also as a prayer. In August 2006, Van Morrison's original recording was voted #6 on a list of the Top 10 First Dance Wedding Songs, based on a poll of 1,300 DJs in the UK.[1]
It is preceded on Avalon Sunset by the song, "I'd Love to Write Another Song" proclaiming: "In poetry I'd carve it well/ I'd even make it rhyme." Then in the words of Brian Hinton what follows is: [2]
One of the finest love songs of the century, which I remember devastated me when I first heard it, as it seemed both something never quite said before, and yet a song I felt I had known forever. Earthly love transmutes into that for God, just like in Dante, 'there's a love that's divine and it's yours and it's mine'. The morning sun has set by the end of the song, suggesting love shading into death, but subtly.
[edit] Critical acclaim and influence
- In 1996 "Have I Told You Lately" by the The Chieftains and Van Morrison was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
- In October 2007, Van Morrison received a Million-Air certificate for over 4 million air plays of "Have I Told You Lately" from the prestigious BMI awards held in London, England.
- When released as a single in 1989, it charted at #12 on US Adult Comtemporary Charts and has been covered by numerous artists.
- In 1993 Rod Stewart's cover of the song was released that was his last Top Five solo hit to date, both in the US (#5) and the UK (#5).
- Have I Told You Lately by Van Morrison was listed as No. 261 on the All Time 885 Greatest Songs compiled in 2004 by WXPN from listener's votes.[3]
- Van Morrison's original version of this song was #98 on the New York Daily News, The 100 Greatest Love Songs, from the list published on February 12, 2007.
[edit] Appearance on other albums and videos
[edit] Covers
"Have I Told You Lately" has become a classic over the years and has been performed by many unknown as well as many famous artists. Some of the best known cover versions of the song are by Rod Stewart, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Mandrell, Michael Ball, Della Reese and Engelbert Humperdinck. Andy Williams performed a live version in 2007 at Royal Albert Hall in London, England.
[edit] References
- Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
[edit] External links
