Poetic Champions Compose

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Poetic Champions Compose
Poetic Champions Compose cover
Studio album by Van Morrison
Released 1987
Recorded Summer 1987
Genre Celtic, Folk-rock
Length 47:45
Label Mercury
Producer Van Morrison
Professional reviews

All Music Guide 4/5 stars link

Rolling Stone (Not rated) link

Robert Christgau (B+) link
Van Morrison chronology
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher
(1986)		 Poetic Champions Compose
(1987)		 Irish Heartbeat
(1988)
Singles from Poetic Champions Compose
  1. "Did Ye Get Healed?" b/w "Allow Me"
  2. "Someone Like You" b/w "Celtic Excavation"
  3. "Queen of the Slipstream" b/w "Spanish Steps"

Poetic Champions Compose is an album by Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music.) As described by Brian Hinton: "It is an album which is more than the sum of its parts, exuding an overall sense of calm and optimism."[1]

Contents

[edit] Reissue and remastered album

In September 2008, Exile/Polydor will release this album as part of batch three of the four catalogue reissues of Morrison's albums dated from 1971 through 2002.

[edit] Recording

The album was recorded in London and Bath, England, and features British only musicians.

[edit] Songs

It was originally intended to be an album of wholly jazz instrumental works but Morrison said that as lyrics began to come into his mind, he abandoned the idea. However the album was still bookended with the instrumentals, "Spanish Steps" and "Allow Me" and "Celtic Excavation" filled in the center. Morrison's philosophy reading list was evident in "Alan Watts Blues" and Socrates and Plato were mentioned on "I Forgot That Love Existed". Rudolph Steiner's pronouncement about the importance of "thinking with the heart and feeling with the mind" was included in the lyrics also. Fiachra Trench played a string and woodwind arrangement on "The Mystery" which was spiritual in nature. Two love songs that have had a continuing popularity were "Queen of the Slipstream" and the popular movie soundtrack hit, "Someone Like You.[2] The only song that was not penned by Morrison was the traditional "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, whose subject is a man waiting for the Kingdom of God. Brian Hinton says " It is "Mother Ireland" whom Van is missing and his world weary vocals are like sobs of pain."[3] "Give Me My Rapture" and "Did Ye Get Healed?" were powerful and optimistic statements of the deep spiritual priorities in his music.

[edit] Van Morrison on recording mood

Morrison has said, "Psychologists will tell you that artists have to be in a state of despair before they produce great work, but I don't think that ....In my case I know it doesn't create better work. I produce better work if I'm content. I can't create that feeling if I'm in a state of conflict. [4]

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Morrison unless noted otherwise

  1. "Spanish Steps" (Instrumental) – 5:20
  2. "The Mystery" – 5:16
  3. "Queen of the Slipstream" – 4:55
  4. "I Forgot That Love Existed" – 4:17
  5. "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" (traditional) – 4:27
  6. "Celtic Excavation" (Instrumental) – 3:17
  7. "Someone Like You" – 4:06
  8. "Alan Watts Blues" – 4:24
  9. "Give Me My Rapture" – 3:44
  10. "Did Ye Get Healed?" – 4:06
  11. "Allow Me" (Instrumental) – 3:53

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1987 The Billboard 200 90

Album - UK Album Chart

Year Chart Position
1987 UK Album Chart 22

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p. 265
  2. ^ Rogan, No Surrender, p. 367
  3. ^ Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p. 268
  4. ^ Rogan, No Surrender, pp. 367-368

[edit] References

  • Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
  • Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison:No Surrender, London:Vintage Books ISBN 9780099431831

[edit] External links

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