Inarticulate Speech of the Heart
Inarticulate Speech of the Heart | ||||
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File:VanMorrisonInarticulateSpeechCover.jpg | ||||
Studio album by Van Morrison | ||||
Released | March 1983 Reissued June 2008 |
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Recorded | 1982 at The Town House, London; The Record Plant and Harbour Sound, Sausalito, California; Tres Virgos, San Rafael, California and Lombard Sound Studios, Dublin | |||
Genre | Celtic, jazz, new age | |||
Length | 47:10 | |||
Label | Mercury (UK) Warner Bros. (U.S.) |
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Producer | Van Morrison | |||
Van Morrison chronology | ||||
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Singles from Inarticulate Speech of the Heart | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B−[2] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Inarticulate Speech of the Heart is the fourteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1983 (see 1983 in music). Morrison said he arrived at the title from a Shavian saying: "that idea of communicating with as little articulation as possible, at the same time being emotionally articulate". As his last album for Warner Bros. Records, he decided to do an album of mostly instrumentals. As he explained in 1984, "Sometimes when I'm playing something, I'm just sort of humming along with it, and that's got a different vibration than an actual song. So the instrumentals just come from trying to get that form of expression, which is not the same as writing a song."[4] Although not expanded upon, of note is that a special thanks is given to L. Ron Hubbard in the liner notes. The reissued and remastered version of the album contains alternative takes of "Cry for Home" and "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 2".[5] The track "Celtic Swing" made an appearance over the final scenes of Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones.
Contents
Recording
The recording sessions took place in California, Dublin, Ireland and a series of marathon sessions at The Town House in London. Morrison played piano, guitar and saxophone on these sessions.[6] Two Irish musicians played on the album (Arty McGlynn and Davy Spillane) and overall the music had a strong Celtic colouring. Four of the songs were instrumentals.[7]
Track listing
All songs written by Van Morrison.
Side one
- "Higher than the World" – 3:42
- "Connswater" – 4:09
- "River of Time" – 3:02
- "Celtic Swing" – 5:03
- "Rave On, John Donne" – 5:12
Side two
- "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 1" – 4:53
- "Irish Heartbeat" – 4:40
- "The Street Only Knew Your Name" – 3:36
- "Cry for Home" – 3:44
- "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 2" – 3:53
- "September Night" – 5:16
Bonus tracks (2008 CD reissue)
- "Cry for Home" - 3:49 (alternate take)
- "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 2" - 4:48 (alternate take)
Personnel
- Van Morrison - guitar, electric piano, alto saxophone, vocal
- David Hayes - bass
- Mark Isham - synthesizer, trumpet
- John Allair - organ, electric piano
- Pee Wee Ellis - tenor and soprano saxophones, flute
- Tom Donlinger - percussion, drums
- Mihr Un Nisa Douglass - backing vocals
- Stephanie Douglass - backing vocals
- Pauline Lozana - backing vocals
- Arty McGlynn - acoustic guitar
- Davy Spillane - uilleann pipes, alto flute
- Chris Michie - guitar
- Annie Stocking - backing vocals
- Bianca Thornton - backing vocals
- Peter Van Hooke - drums, tambourine
Charts
Album - Billboard
Year | Chart | Position |
1983 | Pop Albums | 116 |
Album - UK Album Chart
Year | Chart | Position |
1983 | UK Album Chart | 24[8] |
Notes
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References
- Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
- Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074-169-X
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ Robert Christgau review
- ↑ Rolling Stone review
- ↑ Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 376-377
- ↑ Van Morrison Official Website
- ↑ Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence. p.377
- ↑ Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p. 239
- ↑ Chart Stats: Van Morrison