One phenomenon of carrying around 3500 songs with you is that you will occasional hear a song that you own, but have never heard before. This may be because I downloaded it and never listened to it, or because I borrowed somebody’s CD, ripped it and never listen to it, or some other inexplicable reason.
Regardless, I’m walking downtown this afternoon when this kick-ass rhythm and blues song starts up, with a fantastic horn section. I’ve never heard it before. I check ye olde iPod display and it’s Street Theory by Van Morrison, from The Philosopher’s Stone. It’s classic Van, that combo of blues, rock and gospel with a funky little organ solo in the middle. I’m not big on organ solos, but this one’s great.
In fact, my new discovery is so cool, I thought I’d share it (MP3, 4:54, 6.9 MB). I’m sure that Van doesn’t mind. Picture me strutting around downtown to this tune, with a song in my heart and a certain je ne sais quoi in my step.
I have my father to thank for my affection for Mr. Morrison. With a tenacity rivaling the US military, he played Van for us throughout our childhood and adulthood. I didn’t dig him so much when I was fourteen, but now I think he’s, as the kids say, da bomb. I saw him in concert in Belfast a couple of years ago, and he was great in his gnomish, slightly quizzical way.
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