Dad Rock Hall of Fame: Van Morrison

It's no secret that we love some good blue-eyed soul around these parts.  But the time has come to pay homage to one of the most versatile white dudes of all time -- Van Morrison.  He's the rich man's Wilson Valdez; he can do it all: R&B, rock, soul.  In addition to his great singles (which will be discussed in more detail below), Van the Man played a hell of a live show (It's Too Late To Stop Now is considered to be among the top live albums of all time) and could put together a great album, too.  So without further ado, it's time to take a look at his storied career.

1) Them -- "Gloria"
One of Van's earliest hits provides a total classic and perhaps the most easily remembered chorus of all time.  This jam was a pretty big deal in the early to mid 60s, a time when rock and roll drove kids nuts.  It's startling some fifty years later to see their reactions, something that appears to happen rarely in this day and age.


2) "Jackie Wilson Said"
A feel-good jam.  After all, who doesn't want to let it all hang out.  It's a testament to this song that it's still standing after Dexy's Midnight Riders' god-awful cover.


3) "Into the Mystic"
One of Tony Kornheiser's favorite songs, and with good reason.


4) "Caravan" (feat. The Band)
Having watched The Last Waltz more times than I'd like to admit, I can say with some authority that Van absolutely steals the show on this one.  So much going right here: The Band, the velour outfit, the theatrical kicks, his general "out of it" demeanor, and his grand exit (complete with dramatic point and near-stumble).


5) "Brown Eyed Girl"
This one is kind of like "Born to Run" in that anyone who listens to classic rock radio with any regularity will tell you that it's overplayed, but it's for a good reason -- it's that good.  A tune that will be played at nearly every wedding until the end of time because it's a catchy, relatively inoffensive song that everyone loves.


--J.J. Gittes