Moondance is the third studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on 27 January 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. After the commercial failure of his first Warner Bros. album Astral Weeks (1968), Morrison moved to upstate New York with his wife and began writing songs for Moondance. There, he met the musicians that would record the album with him at New York City's A & R Studios in August and September 1969.
The album found Morrison abandoning the abstract folk jazz compositions of Astral Weeks in favour of more formally composed songs, which he wrote and produced entirely himself. Its lively rhythm and blues/rock music was the style he would become most known for in his career. The music incorporated soul, jazz, pop, and Irish folk sounds into songs about finding spiritual renewal and redemption in worldly matters such as nature, music, romantic love, and self-affirmation.
Moondance was an immediate critical and commercial success. It helped establish Morrison as a major artist in popular music, while several of its songs became staples on FM radio in the early 1970s. Among the most acclaimed records in history, Moondance frequently ranks in professional listings of the greatest albums. In 2013, the album's remastered deluxe edition was released to similar acclaim.
- Judy Clay – backing vocals ("Crazy Love" and "Brand New Day")
- Emily Houston – backing vocals ("Crazy Love" and "Brand New Day")
- John Klingberg – bass
- Jef Labes – clavinet, organ, piano
- Gary Mallaber – drums, percussion, vibraphone
- Guy Masson – congas
- Van Morrison – harmonica, production, rhythm guitar, tambourine, vocals
- John Platania – guitar
- Jack Schroer – alto and soprano saxophones
- Collin Tilton – flute, tenor saxophone
- Jackie Verdell – backing vocals ("Crazy Love" and "Brand New Day")
Disc 1 - Moondance ~ Remastered
01. And It Stoned Me (4:32)
02. Moondance (4:34)
03. Crazy Love (2:35)
04. Caravan (5:01)
05. Into The Mystic (3:28)
06. Come Running (2:31)
07. These Dreams Of You (3:52)
08. Brand New Day (5:11)
09. Everyone (3:32)
10. Glad Tidings (3:40)
Disc 2 - Moondance ~ The Sessions
01. What Do We Call This, Van (1:50)
02. Caravan (Take 1) (5:54)
03. Caravan (Takes 2-3) (1:02)
04. Caravan (Take 4) (5:53)
05. Caravan (Takes 5-6) (3:47)
06. Caravan (Take 7) (2:31)
07. Caravan (Take 8) (5:41)
08. I've Been Working (Early Version, Take 1) (11:03)
09. I've Been Working (Early Version, Take 2) (2:51)
10. I've Been Working (Early Version, Take 5) (10:25)
11. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (Outtake) (3:27)
12. I Shall Sing (Take 1) (1:42)
13. I Shall Sing (Takes 2-3) (4:48)
14. I Shall Sing (Takes 4-6) (3:40)
15. I Shall Sing (Take 7) (3:58)
16. I Shall Sing (Takes 8-12) (4:48)
17. I Shall Sing (Take 13) (3:36)
Disc 3 - Moondance ~ More Sessions
01. Into The Mystic (Take 10) (3:50)
02. Into The Mystic (Take 11) (4:05)
03. Into The Mystic (Takes 12-13) (3:59)
04. Into The Mystic (Takes 14-16) (4:38)
05. Into The Mystic (Take 17) (3:32)
06. Caravan (Redo: Takes 1-2) (0:50)
07. Caravan (Redo: Take 3) (4:58)
08. Brand New Day (Take 1) (5:24)
09. Brand New Day (Take 2) (5:30)
10. Brand New Day (Take 3) (5:25)
11. Brand New Day (Take 4) (5:36)
12. Brand New Day (Takes 5-6) (1:09)
13. Brand New Day (Take 7) (5:25)
14. Glad Tidings (Fast Version, Take 1) (3:42)
15. Glad Tidings (Takes 2-4) (5:11)
16. Glad Tidings (Takes 7-8) (5:12)
17. Glad Tidings (Take 9) (3:59)
Disc 4 - Moondance ~ Sessions, Alternates & Mixes
01. Come Running (Take 1) (4:00)
02. Come Running (Take 2) (4:38)
03. Come Running (Takes 3-4) (4:48)
04. Come Running (Take 5) (4:19)
05. Come Running (Rolling On 4) (3:58)
06. Moondance (Take 21) (1:04)
07. Moondance (Take 22) (4:51)
08. Glad Tidings (Alternate Version) (3:42)
09. These Dreams Of You (Alternate Version) (4:02)
10. Crazy Love (Mix) (2:57)
11. Glad Tidings (Remix 1) (3:53)
12. Glad Tidings (Remix 2) (3:53)
13. Glad Tidings (Remix 3) (3:53)
14. Caravan (Remix 1) (5:33)
15. These Dreams Of You (Remix) (4:31)
16. I Shall Sing (Mix) (3:11)
