Bulbs (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Bulbs


Caption =
Artist = Van Morrison
from Album = Veedon Fleece
A-side = "Bulbs"
B-side = "Cul de Sac"
Released = November 1974
Format =
Recorded =
Genre = Folk-Rock
Length = 4:19
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Writer = Van Morrison
Producer = Van Morrison
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single ="Ain't Nothing You Can Do"
(1974)
This single ="Bulbs"
(1974)
Next single ="Caldonia (What Makes Your Big Head Hard?)"
(1974)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Veedon Fleece
Type = studio
prev_track = "You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push the River"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "Bulbs"
track_no = 6
next_track = "Cul De Sac"
next_no = 7"Bulbs" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1974 album, "Veedon Fleece".It was chosen as the 'A' side single from the album and has been described as "a pleasant, catchy country ditty, a Dire Straits song before its time" by biographer, John Collis. [Collis, Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, pp.140-141] As with many of Morrison's songs, "Bulbs" does not have a clear story line but in part focuses on immigration to America as in the lines, :"She's leaving for an American:"Suitcase in her hand:"I said her brothers and her sisters:"Are all on Atlantic sand

The title seems to be derived from the lines::"And her batteries are corroded:"And her hundred watt bulb just blew

History

"Bulbs" was first recorded with different lyrics at the recording session for the 1973 album, "Hard Nose the Highway". After the first recording for Veedon Fleece, it was recut in New York City along with "Cul de Sac" to give it a more rock feeling. According to Jeff Labes this was "cause he (Morrison) didn't feel they had the right feeling...It was me, Van and a bunch of other guys that he'd never played with." [Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence? p.284]

Critical reception

In an interview with Tom Donahue, Donahue told Van after he listened to "Bulbs" "You always make great noises. The other things you do in songs beside the words." [Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p. 179]

In a Stylus Magazine review for the album, "Veedon Fleece", Derek Miller says of this song: [web cite | url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/van-morrison-veedon-fleece.htm |title=Van Morrison - Veedon Fleece | publisher=stylusmagazine.com |accessdate=2008-08-03]

Of course, the best and most immediately memorable song on Veedon Fleece is "Bulbs". Coming about as close to laying down a groove as he does on the album, the song quickly makes dust of its acoustic start, leaping headstrong into a Waylon Jennings' style bass-roll, rump heavy and plush, pianos shimmering and fingerdense."

Appearance on other albums or DVD

A live performance of this song is featured on the 1974 disc of Morrison's 2006 issued DVD, "Live At Montreux 1980/1974".

The video featuring this performance is viewable at [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Van Morrison - The Official Website] under Film-Live at Montreux.Morrison used a stripped down band on this Montreaux Jazz Festival appearance that consisted of:
*Van Morrison - vocals, guitar
*Pete Wingfield - piano, background vocals
*Jerome Rimson - bass, background vocals
*Dallas Taylor - drums

Covers

Ellis Hooks performed a cover version of "Bulbs" on the 2003 released tribute album, "".

Personnel on original release

*Van Morrison - vocals
*John Tropea - guitar
*Jeff Labes - piano
*Joe Macho - bass
*Allen Schwarzberg - drums

Notes

References

*Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Little Brown and Company, ISBN 0-306-80811-0
*Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
*Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X

External links

* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio sample] 1970s, Veedon Fleece
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Film: Bulbs Live in Montreux DVD]