Hymns to the Silence

Infobox Album | Name = Hymns to the Silence
Type = Album
Artist = Van Morrison


Released = 1991
Recorded = 1991
Genre = Celtic, Folk-rock
Length = 94:53
Label = Polydor
Producer = Van Morrison
Reviews =
Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:njyvadskv8w3 link]

Rolling Stone Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/67/albums/album/169779/rid/6068304/ link]

Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1647&name=Van+Morrison link]
Last album = "Enlightenment"
(1990)
This album = "Hymns to the Silence"
(1991)
Next album = "The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two"
(1993)
Misc = Singles
Name =Hymns to the Silence
Type =studio
Single 1 =I Can't Stop Loving You" b/w "All Saints Day
Single 1 date =
Single 2 =Why Must I Always Explain?" b/w "So Complicated
Single 2 date =
Single 3 =
Single 3 date =
Single 4 =
Single 4 date =

"Hymns to the Silence" is a double album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music.) It peaked at No. 5 in the UK. It was his first ever studio double album.

Reissue and Remastered album

On 29 September 2008, Exile/Polydor will release this album as part of batch three of the four catalogue reissues of Morrison's albums dated from 1971 through 2002.

ongs

The songs on the album were primarily concerning two themes, the singer's uneasy relationship with the music business and a nostalgic yearning for his youth in Belfast. "Why Must I Always Explain?" was set to the same melody as 1970s "Tupelo Honey". [Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p 302] There were two hymns. "Be Thou My Vision" and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee". "Take Me Back", "On Hyndford Street" and "See Me Through Part II" were remembrances of his seemingly carefree childhood but "Hyndford Street" also referred more specifically to spiritual feelings in the words, "Feeling wondrous and lit up inside/With a sense of everlasting life". The song, "Carrying a Torch" was also included on Tom Jones's album by the same name. [Turner, It's Too Late to Stop Now, p.170]

Reviews

In a review for Time, Jay Cocks says that: "Hymns focuses and redefines Morrison's themes over his long career, rather like a museum retrospective already in progress. It dips deep into autobiography, spiritual speculation and blues mythology for its themes." [cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974140-1,00.html|author=Jay Cocks|title=Listen to the Lion|date=1991-10-28|publisher=time.com|accessdate=2008-08-18]

Track listing

All songs written by Van Morrison unless noted.

Disc one

#"Professional Jealousy" – 3:42
#"I'm Not Feeling It Anymore" – 6:34
#"Ordinary Life" – 3:29
#"Some Peace of Mind" – 6:24
#"So Complicated" – 3:18
#"I Can't Stop Loving You" - (Gibson) – 3:54
#"Why Must I Always Explain?" – 3:50
#"Village Idiot" – 3:13
#"See Me Through, Pt. 2 (Just a Closer Walk With Thee)" - (Traditional) – 3:10
#"Take Me Back" – 9:11

Disc two

#"By His Grace" – 2:34
#"All Saints Day" – 2:28
#"Hymns to the Silence" – 9:42
#"On Hyndford Street" – 5:17
#"Be Thou My Vision" - (Traditional) – 3:49
#"Carrying a Torch" – 4:26
#"Green Mansions" – 3:38
#"Pagan Streams" – 3:38
#"Quality Street" - (Morrison, Rebennack) – 3:57
#"It Must Be You" – 4:08
#"I Need Your Kind of Loving" – 4:31

Bonus tracks (2008 CD reissue)

#"Carrying a Torch" (alternative take)

Personnel

*Van Morrison - vocal, guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone
*Haji Ahkba - flugelhorn
*Derek Bell - synthesizer
*The Chieftains
*Terry Disley - piano
*Neil Drinkwater - accordion, piano, synthesizer
*Candy Dulfer - alto saxophone
*Dave Early- drums, percussion
*Georgie Fame - piano, hammond organ, backing vocals
*Eddie Friel - piano, hammond organ, synthesizer
*Steve Gregory - flute, baritone saxophone
*Carol Kenyon - backing vocals
*Katie Kissoon - backing vocals
*Steve Pearce - bass
*Paul Robinson - drums
*Nicky Scott - bass
*Kate St. John - cor anglais

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Album - UK Album Chart

Notes

References

*Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
*Turner, Steve (1993). Too Late to Stop Now, Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-85147-7

External links

* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974140-1,00.html Time Review] Hymns to the Silence
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio Samples] 1990s, Hymns to the Silence