A deluxe three-CD set, Van Morrison—The Authorized Bang Collection, due out from Legacy Recordings on April 28, is the first official comprehensive anthology ever assembled chronicling Morrison’s musical output during his brief association with Bang Records. The label founded by legendary American producer/songwriter Bert Berns–whose writing credits include “Twist and Shout,” “Cry to Me,” “Piece of My Heart” and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” as well as “Here Comes The Night,” a #2 U.K. breakout hit for Them—Van Morrison’s early group—in March 1965.
Pre-order is available here.
According to a press release, “All songs on Disc One—The Original Masters and Disc Two—Bang Sessions & Rarities were produced and directed by Berns. Disc Three—Contractual Obligation Session presents for the first-time as an official release—and in its best-sound quality ever–one of the most raw, honest and in-the-moment studio performances of Van’s storied career.”
Related: Read BCB’s feature article on Bert Berns
Disc One—The Original Masters presents original stereo mixes of recordings for the first time on CD—including “Brown Eyed Girl”—first released on Bang 12” vinyl LPs: Blowin’ Your Mind! (1967) and The Best of Van Morrison (1970). Disc One also features the highly-prized original mono mixes of “Beside You” and “Madame George”—first issued on T.B. Sheets (1973)—and “Chick-A-Boom,” a Van Morrison/Bert Berns composition recorded in New York in 1967 and released as a Bang single. The Original Masters closes with the rare demo version of “The Smile You Smile,” previously available on Legacy’s 1991 compilation, The Bang Masters.
Disc Two—Bang Sessions & Rarities includes the much sought-after original edited mono single mix of “Brown Eyed Girl” and the original mono single mix with backing vocals for “Ro Ro Rosey,” in addition to previously unissued studio takes of “T.B. Sheets,” “Midnight Special,” “Beside You” and some insightful outtakes of “Brown Eyed Girl.”
Disc Three—Contractual Obligation Session presents 31 short songs that have been widely bootlegged as Morrison’s contractual obligation demos for Bang. “These songs show Morrison’s incredible humor and give some insight into the frustrating close of his relationship with the label. They are included here for the sake of completeness and to finally officially close the chapter on Van’s 1967 New York City recording sessions,” writes Andrew Sandoval in his liner notes for the set. A Grammy-nominated producer and engineer, Sandoval compiled and curated the material on Van Morrison—The Authorized Bang Collection.
In his own notes for this collection, Van Morrison wrote, “Bert Berns was a genius He was a brilliant songwriter and he had a lot of soul, which you don’t find nowadays.”
Related: A look back at one of Morrison’s classic albums
Track Listing
Disc One – The Original Masters:
- Brown Eyed Girl [original stereo mix]
- He Ain’t Give You None [original stereo mix]
- T.B. Sheets [original stereo mix]
- Spanish Rose [original stereo mix]
- Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) [original stereo mix]
- Ro Ro Rosey [original stereo mix]
- Who Drove The Red Sports Car [original stereo mix]
- Midnight Special [original stereo mix]
- It’s All Right [original stereo mix]
- Send Your Mind [original stereo mix]
- The Smile You Smile [original stereo mix]
- The Back Room [original stereo mix] (5:26)
- Joe Harper Saturday Morning [original stereo mix] (2:55)
- Beside You [original mono mix]
- Madame George [original mono mix]
- Chick-A-Boom [original mono mix]
- The Smile You Smile [demo]
Disc Two – Bang Sessions & Rarities:
- Brown Eyed Girl [original edited mono single mix]
- Ro Ro Rosey [original mono single mix with backing vocals]
- T.B. Sheets [Take 2] *
- Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) [Takes 10 & 11] *
- Send Your Mind [Take 3] *
- Midnight Special [Take 7]
- He Ain’t Give You None (Take 4)
- Ro Ro Rosey [Take 2] *
- Who Drove The Red Sports Car (Take 6)
- Beside You [Take 2] *
- Joe Harper Saturday Morning [Take 2] *
- Beside You [Take 5] *
- Spanish Rose [Take 14] (4:23) *
- Brown Eyed Girl [Takes 1-6] *
- Brown Eyed Girl [Takes 7-11] *
*Previously Unissued
Discs One & Two: All songs Produced & Directed by Bert Berns
Disc Three – Contractual Obligation Session:
- Twist And Shake
- Shake And Roll
- Stomp And Scream
- Scream And Holler
- Jump And Thump
- Drivin’ Wheel
- Just Ball
- Shake It Mable
- Hold On George
- The Big Royalty Check
- Ring Worm
- Savoy Hollywood
- Freaky If You Got This Far
- Up Your Mind
- Thirty Two
- All The Bits
- You Say France And I Whistle
- Blowin’ Your Nose
- Nose In Your Blow
- La Mambo
- Go For Yourself
- Want A Danish
- Here Comes Dumb George
- Chickee Coo
- Do It
- Hang On Groovy
- Goodbye George
- Dum Dum George
- Walk And Talk
- The Wobble
- Wobble And Ball
Previously Unissued
Watch Van Morrison perform “Brown Eyed Girl” live in 1973
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