Day #4 of Van Morrison Week … I picked this one even though it wasn’t one of those that were suggested, mainly because I like it. Don’t worry … I’ll get to some of the suggestions tomorrow, but I’ve been in the kitchen cooking much of the day and figured I should pick one that pleases my ears tonight!
There really isn’t a lot of background info on this song. According to SongFacts …
Morrison had recently married his girlfriend Janet Planet when he wrote this rather poetic song, which is about a love that makes the bad times good and the good times better. It’s a soothing love that makes you complete, and the song caught on as a way for lovers to express just these emotions. It’s a very popular wedding song, just don’t tell the happy couple that Morrison and Janet divorced in 1973.
Artists to cover this song include Brian McKnight, Ray Charles, Aaron Neville, Helen Reddy, Rod Stewart, Paul Carrack and John Anderson. Canadian vocalist Michael Bublé covered this for the title track of his 2009 album.
An interesting side note … while I cannot find a single place where Van Morrison’s or any of the other covers charted, the Michael Bublè version is listed as having charted in the UK at … wait for it … #122!!!
Now, I found two versions besides the original that I thought were fun, but I know that some Van Morrison fans are purists, so … I’m playing his original, but also offering up the other two. One is a duet with Ray Charles (one of my faves!) that they performed when Ray Charles introduced Van Morrison by starting the first verse before Van’s appearance when he was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2003. Morrison and Charles then finished with a duet of Crazy Love. Ray Charles remarked about this performance: “It meant a lot to sing ‘Crazy Love’ on stage that evening.” And the other is a duet with Bob Dylan. Take your pick … listen to one or all!
Crazy Love
Van Morrison
I can hear his heart beat
For a thousand miles
And the heavens open
Every time he smiles
And when I come to him
That’s where I belong
Yet I’m running to him
Like a river’s song
He give me love, love
Love, love, crazy love
He give me love, love
Love, love, crazy love
He’s got a fine sense of humor
When I’m feeling low down
And when I come to him
When the sun goes down
Take away my trouble
Take away my grief
Take away my heartache
In the night like a thief
He give me love, love
Love, love, crazy love
He give me love, love
Love, love, crazy love
Yes, I need him in the daytime
Yes, I need him in the night
Yes, I want to throw my arms around him
Kiss him, hug him, kiss him, hug him tight
And when I’m returning
From so far away
He gives me some sweet loving
Brighten up my day
Yes, it makes me righteous
Yes, it makes me feel whole
Yes, it makes me mellow
Down in to my soul
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Laura Nyro
Crazy Love lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
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Well, I couldn’t quite recall this; anticipating an unexpected treat of Ray Charles, I read the lyrics first because a particular Patsy Cline song I don’t care for kept butting in in my brain. Then realized I do know the song, so then chose the aforementioned duet which is helping me digest a slightly more than moderate amount of dinner. Thanks, Jill-this is a fine music week!
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The title makes me think of one of the same title by Poco that I always loved. I don’t recall one by Patsy Cline, though. I’m glad the duet with Ray Charles helped you digest your Thanksgiving dinner!!! I’m really glad you’re enjoying Van Morrison week!
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Patsy Cline’s was “Crazy Arms.” Linda Ronstadt did it, too. Very C&W. I remember Poco’s; it wasn’t supposed to be country, but for me, it is.
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Your memory is better than mine, for sure!!!
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Uugghhh. Between high school and freshman year of college, I worked nightshift at HoJo’s, where a canned recording played. It was all C&W, and that song was on 2 of the 3 tracks, 4 hr. each. Otherwise, I’d not know anything about that song! 🙂
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Oh wow! That sounds painful!!!
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The money was great. There was little to be done about the music, though a person could go in the manager’s office and skip one track. I got a nice certificate convertible to credit hours, though, in HP, general management, and hospitality. And I was young, so.
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😊
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Also, and I mean this admiringly, you have a few years of wisdom and info in your head I do not yet have. It does affect the memory!
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True, but … I find that the more years I have, the less I can remember of anything! Be forewarned, my friend, the mind really does get fuzzy as we age! I was trying to remember something tonight … something that I know should have come easily, but it was just out of reach. 😧
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I know that I know the song but I don’t think I know it in Morrison’s version. However, good choice again, and interesting to know about the story of the song again.
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Like you, I knew the song, but I keep thinking someone else did it, but I don’t know who and can’t seem to find it. Still … I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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That’s really funny! Something more we have in common… hehe.
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😊
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I’ll stick with the original, by far the best version for me. I’m not sure why LyricFind think Laura Nyro wrote it though! I wonder who bought both the copies that got Buble to #122 here?
Hope you’re having a lovely Thanksgiving Day 😊🦃
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I was sure that you and Pete would both stick with the original! I don’t even know who Laura Nyro is!
We did have a great Thanksgiving Day and now I am totally exhausted! But, it was worth it and I got many hugs from baby Naya, our friends’ 1-year-old. 😊
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We may disagree on the Beatles but not on Van! Laura Nyro was a singer songwriter whose songs became hits for Streisand, Fifth Dimension, Blood Sweat and Tears, Three Dog Night, among others. She died at 49 of ovarian cancer, in the same house, to the same disease, at the same age as her mother.
Glad you had such a good day. 1 year olds’ hugs are great, aren’t they!
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Oh wow … talk about coincidence, eh? Thanks for the info … I didn’t think I had ever heard of her.
Oh yeah … nothing quite like those tiny arms around your neck. Trying to teach her to say “Grannie” now!
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A very sad coincidence indeed. I was never a fan. One of her songs was on a compilation album I had, but I never followed it up.
I guess there will soon be someone new featuring on your Monday posts, calling you ‘Gwammy ’ 😊
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Ha ha … you just never know!
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Another favourite of mine, and I will stick with the original album track over the duets. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Glad you liked it … and yes, I was pretty sure you would stick with the original! 😉
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Nice song
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Thank you!!!
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