Wonderful Remark
| "Wonderful Remark" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Wonderful Remark" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and first released on the soundtrack album for the 1983 film The King of Comedy.[1][2] In 1990, it appeared on his album The Best of Van Morrison and on the benefit compilation Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal.
Recording
The song was originally recorded in August 1969 at one of the Moondance studio sessions at Century Sound Studios in New York City, but this version of the song was not released. The eight minute version that was released on the 1998 compilation album, The Philosopher's Stone, composed of out-takes, was derived from one of the Saint Dominic's Preview recording sessions in late winter and early spring, 1972 that took place at Wally Heider Studios and Pacific High Studios in San Francisco and at the Church in San Anselmo.[3]
Legacy
On February 14, 1994 when Van Morrison was awarded the BRIT Award for his outstanding contribution to British music, Beirut hostage John McCarthy testified to the importance of "Wonderful Remark" which he called "a song written more than 20 years ago that was very important to us."[4] McCarthy and Jill Morrell had written a book together in 1993, after McCarthy's release, using the words "some other rainbow" from "Wonderful Remark" for the book's title.[5]
- Clinging to some other rainbow
- While we're standing, waiting in the cold
- Telling us the same old story
- Knowing time is growing old.
Other releases
- As it was included in the soundtrack to the film The King of Comedy, it was one of the movie songs featured on the compilation album Van Morrison at the Movies - Soundtrack Hits.
- Morrison donated the soundtrack recording to the benefit album Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal.
- A re-mastered version of the song has been included on the 2007 compilation album, Still on Top - The Greatest Hits.
- A version of this song was recorded in 1972, and was featured in the outtake compilation album The Philosopher's Stone.
Personnel on original release
- Van Morrison - vocals, acoustic guitar
- Robbie Robertson - electric guitar
- David Hayes - bass
- Richard Tee - piano
- Jim Keltner - drums
- Nicky Hopkins - organ, synthesizer[6]
Personnel on The Philosopher's Stone
- Van Morrison - vocals, acoustic guitar
- Lee Charlton - drums
- Bill Church - bass
- "Boots" Rolf Houston - flute
- Ronnie Montrose - acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Notes
- ^ Discogs.com: The King of Comedy OST
- ^ Allmusic: The King of Comedy Original Soundtrack
- ^ Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, pp. 519, 520
- ^ Rogan, No Surrender, p. 419
- ^ "Some Other Rainbow". listbooks.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Soundtrack album: The King of Comedy". theband.hiof.no. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
References
- Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
- Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison: No Surrender, London: Vintage Books ISBN 9780099431831