Today’s song of the day is a Rhythm and Blues Jazz Rock song— “Moondance” by Van Morrison.

Fun Facts

• Van Morrison (Sir George Ivan Morrison) is a prolific Northern Irish singer and songwriter, born 31 August 1945. He wrote and recorded “Moondance” in 1969, whereafter it was released in January 1970 as the title song to his third studio album. He was 24 at the time.
• Morrison waited seven and a half years, until September 1977, before releasing “Moondance” as a single.
• The song made it to number 92 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
• In December 2004, “Moondance” was listed as number 226 of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” by Rolling Stone magazine. It also made it to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”.
• “Moondance” is one of those songs that started out as an instrumental. Morrison first composed the melody with his soprano saxophone. He really liked the way it sounded and then wrote lyrics to accompany the melody.
• The song is played on an electric bass guitar accompanied by a piano, a flute, guitars, saxophones and drums.
• It’s very popular with bands as an instrumental song, and it has also been covered by many singers of which the best known is probably Michael Bublé.
• “Moondance” can be heard in the 1981 comedy-horror movie, “An American Werewolf in London.” It is also featured in a 2002 episode of “The West Wing.”

Lyrics:

(Musixmatch)

Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance

With the stars up above in your eyes

A fantabulous night to make romance

‘Neath the cover of October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow

You know I’m tryin’ to please to the calling

Of your heartstrings that play soft and low

You know the night’s magic seems to whisper and hush

You know the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush

Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?

Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love?

Well, I wanna make love to you tonight

I can’t wait ’til the mornin’ has come

You know, I know now the time is just right

And straight into my arms you will run

And when you come, my heart will be waiting

To make sure that you’re never alone

There and then all my dreams will come true, dear

There and then I will make you my own

And every time I touch you, you just tremble inside

And I know how much you want me, that you can’t hide

Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?

Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love?

Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance

With the stars up above in your eyes

A fantabulous night to make romance

‘Neath the cover of October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow

You know I’m trying to please to the calling

Of your heartstrings that play soft and low

You know the night’s magic seems to whisper and hush

You know the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush

Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?

Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love?

One more moondance with you

In the moonlight

On a magic night

La, la, la, la, la, in the moonlight

On a magic night

Can’t I just have one more, more dance with you, my love?