On September 30, it’s going to be a marvelous night – and day – for a Moondance. For that’s when Warner Bros. Records will celebrate Van Morrison’s classic 1970 album in 1-CD, 2-CD and 4-CD/1-BD configurations. The latter expanded versions comprehensively explore the album’s sessions via outtakes, alternate takes and previously unheard mixes.
Following one 1967 album for Bert Berns’ Bang Records, Van Morrison made his debut at the famous Burbank label in 1968 with Astral Weeks. It was a creation like no other, and not even Morrison’s most ardent fan at the time could have predicted its heady blend of rock, jazz, folk and classical styles into one opus juxtaposing the spiritual and the earthbound. But the Irish troubadour couldn’t stay in one musical bag for too long a period of time. 1970’s Moondance was every bit as light as Astral Weeks was dark, and every bit as accessible as Astral Weeks was esoteric.
In the years since its release, the soulful, jazzy title track of Moondance has become a modern standard, recorded by artists including Michael Bublé and Nancy Wilson and even featuring as the curtain call to Susan Stroman’s Tony Award-winning dance musical Contact. Strangely, “Moondance” wasn’t released as a single until 1977 (!) when it barely eked into the Hot 100, but that’s hardly deterred its consistent radio airplay and frequent use in films and television. “Come Running,” the original selection for a single, did manage to crack the Top 40 while the album itself notched a respectable No. 39 chart placement. “Crazy Love” has also received its share of cover versions over the years while “Into the Mystic” could be Morrison’s ultimate statement. His ode to the power of radio, “Caravan,” is no less powerful, while album opener “And It Stoned Me” is a fan favorite to this day.
What will you find on the upcoming editions? Hit the jump for all details, track listings and pre-order links!
These newly-remastered editions mark the first major domestic reissues of Moondance. A 2008 Japanese edition boasted of first-ever remastering for the title, though it wasn’t made available elsewhere. Moondance will be available as a single remastered disc for those simply desiring a sonically upgraded version of the original album, and as a 2-CD set with a second disc containing eleven additional tracks drawn from across the box set’s three bonus discs. (A mono mix of “Crazy Love” is listed among the 2-CD edition’s tracks, and the box set’s lone “Crazy Love” remix isn’t specified as mono or stereo. We hope to find out whether the mono track is exclusive to the 2-CD version.) A 4-CD/1-BD version will add three full discs of bonus tracks to the original album as well as a Blu-ray Audio disc with the original album in 48/24 PCM stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound mixed by Grammy-winning surround guru Elliot Scheiner.
All told, the 5-disc version adds 50 unreleased tracks drawn from the Moondance sessions, including numerous alternate takes of “Moondance,” “Into the Mystic,” “Brand New Day,” “Caravan” and “Come Running,” and alternate mixes of “Crazy Love,” “Glad Tidings,” “These Dreams of You” and “Caravan.” The outtake "I Shall Sing," familiar from recordings by artists such as Art Garfunkel, is also featured in the box set via multiple takes of the song and a completed master. “I’ve Been Working,” subsequently released on His Band and Street Choir, is present in its original Moondance outtake form, as is Morrison’s rendition of the 1923 blues standard “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.” The 5-disc version will be housed in a “linen-wrapped folio” and will contain new liner notes from writer Alan White.
The Moondance extravaganza is unveiled on September 30 from Warner Bros. Records. You can order at the links below!
Van Morrison, Moondance 4-CD/1-BD Box Set (Warner Bros. Records WS 1835, 1970 – reissued Warner Bros., 2013) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. link TBD)
CD 1: The Original Album
- And It Stoned Me
- Moondance
- Crazy Love
- Caravan
- Into the Mystic
- Come Running
- These Dreams of You
- Brand New Day
- Everyone
- Glad Tidings
CD 2: (all tracks previously unreleased)
- “What do we call this, Van?”
- Caravan (Take 1)
- Caravan (Takes 2-3)
- Caravan (Take 4)
- Caravan (Takes 5-6)
- Caravan (Take 7)
- Caravan (Take 8)
- I’ve Been Working (Early Version, Take 1)
- I’ve Been Working (Early Version, Take 2)
- I’ve Been Working (Early Version, Take 5)
- Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out (Outtake)
- I Shall Sing (Take 1)
- I Shall Sing (Takes 2-3)
- I Shall Sing (Takes 4-6)
- I Shall Sing (Take 7)
- I Shall Sing (Takes 8-12)
- I Shall Sing (Take 13)
CD 3: (all tracks previously unreleased)
- Into the Mystic (Take 10)
- Into the Mystic (Take 11)
- Into the Mystic (Takes 12-13)
- Into the Mystic (Takes 14-16)
- Into the Mystic (Take 17)
- Brand New Day (Take 1)
- Brand New Day (Take 2)
- Brand New Day (Take 3)
- Brand New Day (Take 4)
- Brand New Day (Takes 5-6)
- Brand New Day (Take 7)
- Glad Tidings (Take 1)
- Glad Tidings (Takes 2-4)
- Glad Tidings (Takes 7-8)
- Glad Tidings (Take 9)
- Caravan Redo (Takes 1-2)
- Caravan Redo (Take 3)
CD 4: (all tracks previously unreleased)
- Come Running (Take 1)
- Come Running (Take 2)
- Come Running (Takes 3-4)
- Come Running (Take 5)
- Come Running (Rolling on 4)
- Moondance (Take 21)
- Moondance (Take 22)
- Glad Tidings (Alternate Version)
- These Dreams of You (Alternate Version)
- Crazy Love (Remix)
- Glad Tidings (Remix 1)
- Glad Tidings (Remix 2)
- Glad Tidings (Remix 3)
- Caravan (Remix)
- These Dreams of You (Remix)
- I Shall Sing (Mix)
Van Morrison, Moondance 1-CD Remaster (Warner Bros. Records WS 1835, 1970 – reissued Warner Bros., 2013) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. link TBD)
- And It Stoned Me
- Moondance
- Crazy Love
- Caravan
- Into the Mystic
- Come Running
- These Dreams of You
- Brand New Day
- Everyone
- Glad Tidings
Van Morrison, Moondance 2-CD Expanded Edition (Warner Bros. Records WS 1835, 1970 – reissued Warner Bros., 2013) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. link TBD)
CD 1: The Original Album
- And It Stoned Me
- Moondance
- Crazy Love
- Caravan
- Into the Mystic
- Come Running
- These Dreams of You
- Brand New Day
- Everyone
- Glad Tidings
CD 2: (all tracks previously unreleased)
- Caravan (Take 4)
- Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out (Outtake)
- Into the Mystic (Take 11)
- Brand New Day (Take 3)
- Glad Tidings (Alternate Version)
- Come Running (Take 2)
- Crazy Love (Mono Mix)
- These Dreams of You (Alternate Version)
- Moondance (Take 22)
- I Shall Sing (Take 7)
- I’ve Been Working (Early Version, Take 5)
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Might go digital on this one. Love Van and love the album, but I'm not OCD enough to need multiple takes of this stuff. There would have to be some real diamonds in here for me get the full box and spin more than a couple of times.
Has anyone heard any bootlegs of these tracks? Are they markedly different from take to take?
Want it!!!! And want the same thing for Astral Weeks as well!!!!
OK, I'll bite - some of the Warner material has never been remastered, including "Astral Weeks" and "His Band & Street Choir." What about those?
2 disc version will be enough for me, agree that hope this is first in all his WB albums finally getting remastered.
Amen to that - I never thought I'd see Van Morrison expanded remasters, so I'm markedly happy.`
Hope Bruce Springsteen follows with the rest of his catalog as well!
The packaging looks gorgeous. Maybe WB can do this for Madona's Like a Prayer.
My own blog began with an exploration of Van Morrison's catalog, and this still might be my favorite of his albums (yep, even more than Astral Weeks, which isn't in my VM top 5). Not sure what my price point will be for this, but I'll be monitoring it. Eager to hear Moondance in surround sound.
The two-disc version is enough for me. I like the album a lot, but I'm not nearly a rabid enough fan to go with the full monty box. The double-disc looks like by far the best value. I was initially intrigued by the Blu-Ray Audio in the box, but why only 48/24? Seems like a waste of the format's superior storage capacity, unless I'm missing something. The surround doesn't interest me at all, personally.
I have the Japanese remaster from 2008, and it sounds great. I wonder how this will compare.
Joe, thanks for another tantalizing preview. Just added 2-CD set to my wish list.
I agree with previous comments: the 2 CDs version is more than enough. 5 to 6 alternates of each take?? honestly, who needs them?
About the Blue Ray Audio, I couldn't care less.
Why would the Blu-ray not have all of the rest of the package on it? Why not interviews and performances that are filmed? I don't get it.
"5 to 6 alternates of each take?? honestly, who needs them?"
I DO !!
I've heard enough Van bootlegs to know how he plays with the vocals and arrangements.
I already have "Glad Tidings", "I've Been Working" and other outtakes, incredible stuff.
Can't wait.
Expanded "Astral Weeks" and "St. Dominic's Preview" are on my wish list.
I’m definitely, massively passing on this one
I agree Chief Brody, At least 24/96. Another missed opportunity.
This message from Van's official site:
A MESSAGE FROM VAN MORRISON.
Yesterday Warner Brothers stated that "Van Morrison was reissuing Moondance". It is important that people realise that this is factually incorrect. I did not endorse this, it is unauthorised and it has happened behind my back.
My management company at that time gave this music away 42 years ago and now I feel as though it's being stolen from me again
18th July 2013
I just dont get why the reissue campaign discs are so high on the secondary market. I want a copy of "No Guru" and its like over 50 bucks. Should i have bought all the discs when they came out right away? this is so frustrating