My Gen X Playlist: Tupelo Honey – Van Morrison

Absent any new WordPress daily prompts, I pulled one from thecoffeemonsterzco.

What is your favourite toast topping?

We sat back after dinner satisfied. We had ordered a number of small plates for variety. It was delicious.

When the server came by and asked if we had room for desert, I passed. Our friends ordered dessert for the table to share – honey toast. I didn’t really pay attention. I was full. Coffee would be perfect. Until. . .

When the server set down the dessert, it made a it’s way passed my eyes and my taste buds immediately perked up. It was a single five inch thick slice of toast piled high with ice cream, whip cream and an assortment of fruit. Just under the ice cream, the toast had a layer of honey. Oh my god. As the ice cream melted, it soaked into the bread. It wasn’t a complete soakfest, the bread was dense and firm, so the addition of honey and melted ice cream was just enough to soften it. It was to die for. Even though I didn’t have room for dessert, I somehow made room. It was worth it. Honey toast. Who would have thought?

In 1971, Van Morrison released Tupelo Honey. This song was inspired by Morrison’s happiness after he married his wife.

“Tupelo Honey” is an unreserved, typically mystic take on the domestic happiness Morrison had found since he’d married his wife Janet. They’d met during his time with the Irish R&B band Them. She’d already been his muse for several of Morrison’s earlier songs.

Songfacts

On the Van Morrison cover song CD, there is a beautiful orchestral version of this song. I’ve been listening to these cover songs a lot recently. This one is a unique take on his soulful song. Enjoy.

I borrowed a friend’s truck when I was moving from the far north coast of California to the Central Sierra Nevada foothills, and there were two eight track tapes in the glove box. One of them was The Essential Van Morrison, with this gorgeous song. I played it over and over. I had no idea that this song existed until then. That was the summer of 1978. Thanks for the truck and the song, Greg. RIP.

YouTube comment by gailwilliams2678

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For a complete playlist, please click here.For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

You can take all the tea in China
Put it in a big brown bag for me
Sail right around all the seven oceans
Drop it straight into the deep blue sea
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
She's an angel of the first degree
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
Just like honey from the bee

You can't stop us on the road to freedom
You can't keep us 'cause our eyes can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armor bent on chivalry
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
She's an angel of the first degree
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee

You can't stop us on the road to freedom
You can't stop us 'cause our eyes can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armor intent on chivalry
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
She's an angel of the first degree
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee

You know she's alright, oh she's alright with me
You know, you know, you know she's alright, she alright with me
You know, you know, you know you know
You know she's alright, alright with me
She's alright, she's alright
She's alright with me
She's alright
She's alright with me
She's alright
She's alright with me

She's al, she's alright, she's alright
She's alright with me
She's alright, she's alright, she's alright, she's alright

You can take all the tea in China
Put it in a big brown bag for me
Sail it right around all these seven oceans
Drop it smack dab in the middle of the deep blue sea
Because, she's as sweet as Tupelo honey, yes she is
She's an angel of the first degree
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee

She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
She's an angel of the first degree
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey
Just like the honey, from the bee
She's alright, she's alright with me
She's my baby, you know she's alright
She's my baby, she's my baby, she's alright
She's my baby