Tupelo Honey (Van Morrison song)

"Tupelo Honey" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and the title song from his 1971 album, Tupelo Honey. The title derives from an expensive, mild-tasting tupelo honey produced in the southeastern United States.

Bob Dylan (who performed the song with Morrison during a concert tour in the 1990s) once remarked that "'Tupelo Honey' has always existed and that Morrison was merely the vessel and the earthly vehicle for it".^[1]It has a catchy country and western feel to it and this same melody was later used by Van Morrison on the song, "Why Must I Always Explain?", on his 1991 double album, Hymns to the Silence.

1 Reviews
2 In the Media and Acclaim
3 Appearances on other albums, videos and DVDs
4 Personel on original recording
5 Covers
6 Notes
7 External links

[edit] Reviews

In an Uncut review for the album, David Cavanagh remarks: "Building upwards from a gentle flute refrain, and then pushed forwards by mighty fills from jazz durmmer Connie Kay who played on Astral Weeks, "Tupelo Honey" is sung by a man who has grabbed us by the lapels and won't let go until we understand precisely what he's experiencing. On an album where the vocals are exultant to say the least, this song sees Morrison use larynx, diaphragm, teeth and tongue to find new ways of enunciating the lines "she's as sweet as Tupelo honey and "she's all right with me", seemingly in ever-increasing adoration."^[2]

[edit] In the Media and Acclaim

"Tupelo Honey" is featured on the end credits of the 1997 movie Ulee's Gold starring Peter Fonda.
It was listed as No. 51 on the All Time 885 Greatest Songs compiled in 2004 by WXPN from listener's votes.^[3]
On the sitcom Friends, Ross expresses that he thinks the song to be the most romantic ever.

[edit] Appearances on other albums, videos and DVDs

A version with Brian Kennedy appears on the 1994 live album A Night in San Francisco.
A version with Bobby Bland appears on the 2007 compilation album The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3.
A live performance from Morrison's 1980 appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival is featured on the 2006 DVD Live At Montreux 1980/1974.
"Tupelo Honey" has been re-mastered in 2007 and included as one of the hits on Morrison's compilation album, Still on Top - The Greatest Hits.
"Tupelo Honey" is also one of the songs performed in 1979, on Morrison's first video Van Morrison in Ireland, released in 1981.