Days Like This
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| Days Like This | |||||
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| Studio album by Van Morrison | |||||
| Released | June 5, 1995 | ||||
| Recorded | 1995 | ||||
| Genre | Celtic, Folk rock | ||||
| Length | 57:33 | ||||
| Label | Mercury | ||||
| Producer | Van Morrison | ||||
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| Van Morrison chronology | |||||
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Days Like This is an album by Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music.) It is a diverse group of songs offering a variety of moods and styles.
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[edit] Reissue and remastered album
In January 2009, Exile/Polydor will release this album as part of Series four of four catalogue reissues of Morrison's albums dated from 1971 through 2002.
[edit] Cover
The cover of the album showed Morrison and his girlfriend Michelle Rocca walking a pair of greyhounds. It was his first album in 24 years to feature a female companion on the cover. The last had been the cover of Tupelo Honey with his then-wife "Janet Planet".
[edit] Songs
His daughter, singer-songwriter Shana Morrison performed duets with her father on two tracks, "You Don't Know Me" and "I'll Never Be Free". "Ancient Highway" was nine minutes long and contained the words "praying to my higher self/Don't let me down". It is said to be the one song on the album where he comes closest to following his muse.[1]The title track has continued to be a popular song in concert to the present day. Most of the songs are reflective and seem to come during a time of self-examination. "No Religion" came about Morrison explained when he was thinking: "Wouldn't it be great just to be born and nobody told you there was such a thing as religion? Say it didn't exist and you were just told that all you've got is this life and that's it...and there's no heaven, no hell." The song, "Songwriter" spoke of his songwriting techniques as a practical application instead of inspired as in the past.[2] "Meloncholia" and "Underlying Depression" continue the theme of soul searching.
[edit] Critical acclaim
Days Like This was Morrison's best selling non-compilation album and was nominated for the Mercury Music Award. David Sinclair in Q describes the album as a "glorious return to form". The Rolling Stone review states: "There are moments of genius followed by lavish displays of questionable taste, sometimes within the same song."
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Morrison unless noted otherwise
- "Perfect Fit" – 4:33
- "Russian Roulette" – 3:56
- "Raincheck" – 5:53
- "You Don't Know Me" - (Arnold, Walker) – 4:32
- "No Religion" – 5:14
- "Underlying Depression" – 4:35
- "Songwriter" – 2:50
- "Days Like This" – 3:13
- "I'll Never Be Free" - (Benjamin, Weiss) – 3:37
- "Melancholia" – 3:56
- "Ancient Highway" – 8:53
- "In the Afternoon" – 6:21
[edit] Personnel
- Van Morrison - vocal, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone, Hammond organ
- Shana Morrison - vocal, background vocals
- Brian Kennedy - background vocals
- James Huntsman - electric guitar, background vocals
- Ronnie Johnson, Foggy Lyttle - electric guitar
- Teena Lyle - recorder, piano, vibraphone, congas, background vocals
- Leo Green - tenor saxophone
- Pee Wee Ellis - tenor, alto saxophones
- Kate St. John - alto saxophone, oboe
- Matthew Holland, James McMillan - trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jonn Savannah - Hammond B-3 organ
- Nicky Scott - bass guitar
- Geoff Dunn - drums, tambourine
- Liam Bradley, Noel Eccles - drums
- Phil Coulter - piano
- Arty McGlynn - acoustic guitar
[edit] Charts
Album - UK Album Chart
| Year | Chart | Position |
| 1995 | UK Album Chart | 5 |
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Billboard 200 | 33 |
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
- Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison:No Surrender, London:Vintage Books ISBN 9780099431831
[edit] External links
- RS Review: Days Like This
- Lyrics and Audio Samples 1990s, Days Like This
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