Length 50:30 Artist Van Morrison Label Polydor Records | Producer Van Morrison Release date October 1990 Genres Folk rock, Celtic music | |
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Released October 1990
Reissued June 2008 Recorded February 1990
Wool Hall Studios, Real World Studio, Box Studio and Pavilion Studios, London, England; The Kirk, Somerset, England Enlightenment
(1990) Hymns to the Silence
(1991) Nominations Brit Award for MasterCard British Album of the Year Similar Van Morrison albums, Other albums | ||
Van morrison enlightenment original
Enlightenment is the twentieth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in 1990 (see 1990 in music) and reached #5 in the UK charts and "Real Real Gone" charted at #18 in Mainstream Rock Tracks.
Contents
- Van morrison enlightenment original
- Recording
- Composition
- Track listing
- Bonus tracks 2008 CD reissue
- Musicians
- Production
- Album
- Singles
- Songs
- References
The June 2008 re-issued and re-mastered version of the album contains alternative takes of "Enlightenment" and "So Quiet in Here"."Start All Over Again" from this album was listed as one of the standout tracks from the six album reissue.
Recording
The album was recorded in London, England, and Real World in Box. The arrangements were by Fiachra Trench and Micheal O'Suilleabhain played piano with a brass section made up of British jazz musicians from the late sixties: Frank Ricotti, Henry Lowther and Malcolm Griffiths. One of the songs "So Quiet in Here" was recorded at the Kirk, Rode, Somerset, a setting which served as both church or studio.
Composition
Contrary to the meaning of the title, the theme of the album is actually full of doubt and the songs seem to be saying that everything is what you make of it — heaven or hell. The song "Enlightenment" contains the words: "I'm in the here and now and I'm meditating/ And still I'm suffering but that's my problem/ Enlightenment, don't know what it is". "So Quiet in Here" is a continuation of the song "Into the Mystic" from the Moondance album. The single released from the album, "Real Real Gone", was originally written and meant for the 1980 album Common One. The song "In the Days Before Rock 'N' Roll" was a collaboration between Morrison and the Irish poet Paul Durcan.
Track listing
All songs by Morrison unless noted otherwise.
- "Real Real Gone" – 3:43
- "Enlightenment" – 4:04
- "So Quiet in Here" – 6:09
- "Avalon of the Heart" – 4:45
- "See Me Through" – 6:13
- "Youth of 1,000 Summers" – 3:45
- "In the Days Before Rock 'N' Roll" (Durcan, Morrison) – 8:13
- "Start All Over Again" – 4:10
- "She's My Baby" – 5:14
- "Memories" – 4:14
Bonus tracks (2008 CD reissue)
- "Enlightenment" – 3:29 (alternative take)
- "So Quiet in Here" – 4:03 (alternative take)
Musicians
Production
Recorded mainly at Wool Hall Studios, Beckington
Townhouse, London, Real World, Box and Pavilion Studios, London.
("So Quiet in Here" recorded at The Kirk, Rode, Somerset)
Album
UK Album Chart
Billboard (North America)
Singles
Billboard
Songs
1Real Real Gone3:41
2Enlightenment4:06
3So Quiet in Here6:17