Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey

Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey

1. Performing Forces

   • Morrison's vocal line - influenced by gospel and celtic singing styles
   • word setting is predominantly syllabic with some melismas
   • High notes are sung falsetto
   • Backing vocals are used in dialogue with the lead vocal
   • electric guitars (both acoustic and electric) are used with restraint
     • some strumming with melodic interest
     • both keep up a dialogue with the lead vocal playing short florid passages
   • piano / organ provide chordal backing throughout
   • drums play a straight rock beat throughout
   • Bass line plays a repettetive line with improvised variations
   • flute plays a simple two bar idea at the beginning and at the end of the track

2. Background info

   • track is over 7 minutes long (unusual)
   • Tupelo Honey is the name of the album which the track appeared in 1970
   • Influences
     • Jazz and Blues
     • Celtic Roots
   • It is a Rock Ballad

3. Texture

   • predominantly homphonic
   • instrumental section (bar 21)
     • initially a 3 part complex polyphonic texture
     • Intensity and passion builds as it progresses
     • improvisation accounts for slightly cluttered and busy textures

4. Structre

   • Bars 1 - 4: Introduction - flute solo
   • Bars 5 - 12: Verse 1
   • Bars 13 - 20: Chorus
   • Bars 5 - 12: Verse 2 - Melody of verse 1 varied (different words)
   • Bars 13 - 20: Chorus
   • Bars 21 - 26: Instrumental - 3 part texture (Alto sax/Electric guitar/Acoustic guitar over bassline
   • Bars 5 - 12: Verse 3 - same as Verse 2
   • Bars 13 - 20: Chorus
   • Bars 37 - 44: Coda 1 serving as a middle 8 - climatic point at bar 37
   • Bars 5 - 12: Verse 4 - same as Verse 1
   • Bars 13 - 20: Chorus
   • Bars 45 - 52: Coda 2 Chorus
   • Bars 53 - 56: Coda (based 37 -44) - Flute solo to round off the piece and repeats until fade out

5. Tonality

   • B flat major throughout

6. Harmony

   • Diatonic throughout
   • Phrases 1,3,4: Chords sequence I, III, and IV
   • Phrases 2 - Chord sequence I, III, V
   • Chord III is used in second inversion (written as Dm/A)
   • limited range of chords

7. Melody

   • Melodic line is ornate and rhythmically complex
   • many improvised variants on melodic shapes
   • pentatonic shapes
   • Melody is in the higher end of the male vocal range

8. Rhythem and Metre

   • Slow ballad 4/4 tempo
     • allows for soulful decoration and improvisation
   • Vocal line is syncopated with anticipation and retardations
   • rhythmic complexity of the solos sections
   • bass uses repeated rhythmic ideas