Stage Fright
“I write songs. Then, I record them. And, later, maybe I perform them on stage. That’s what I do. That’s my job. Simple.” – Van Morrison
As simple as that may sound, Van Morrison has also struggled through some dark moments in the midst of performing his brilliant music. It is long believed that Van Morrison struggles with intense stage fright. But when it affects a performer the inability to work through it can sometimes create destructive unintended consequences.
Early Days
In March 1967, Van Morrison returns to the U.S. with ‘Them’ Producer Bert Berns and recorded the album ‘Blowin’ Your Mind’ which was intended to be just 4 singles. However, the album was released without Morrison’s consent. Morrison recalls getting a call about the album and psychedelic album cover which he hated. He had this to say about the experience, “I got a call saying it was an album coming out and this is the cover. And I saw the cover and I almost threw up, you know.”
His wife at the time Janet had this to say, “He never has been, never will be anything approaching a psychedelic user – wants nothing to do with it, wants nothing to do with any drug of any kind”. However, on that album Van Morrison has a song that will emerge as a pop hit , a classic that will follow him throughout his long career…”Brown-Eyed Girl”.
Another song that is a stand out is the long and dark ‘T.B. Sheets’ in which the listener is placed in a room with someone dying of tuberculosis. The narrator wants to escape from the enclosed room smelling of death and disease.
Brian Hinton described the song’s music: “Here is a Dickensian tale of death and decay in a big city. Organ and drums go free form, then a stately groove, fitting Van’s voice like a garrote, led by nagging lead guitar.”
The Last Waltz
Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as The Band’s “farewell concert appearance”.
It was Morrison’s first live performance in several years, and he considered skipping his appearance until the last minute, even refusing to go on stage when they announced his name. His manager, Harvey Goldsmith, said he “literally kicked him out there” to get him to perform.
Suffering from last minute stage fright, Van Morrison had to be physically pushed onstage to perform with The Band for ‘Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (An Irish Lullaby)’ and then he heads right into a song off Moondance “Caravan”. By song’s end, everyone is left in awe.
Music Journalist Greil Marcus, in attendance at the concert, wrote: “Van Morrison turned the show around … singing to the rafters and … burning holes in the floor. It was a triumph, and as the song ended Van began to kick his leg into the air out of sheer exuberance and he kicked his way right offstage like a Rockette. The crowd had given him a fine welcome and they cheered wildly when he left.”
