Full Force Gale
"Full Force Gale" | ||||
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Record Plant Studios, Sausalito, California | ||||
Genre |
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Length | 3:14 | |||
Warner Bros. | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Van Morrison | |||
Producer(s) | Van Morrison | |||
Van Morrison singles chronology | ||||
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"Full Force Gale" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was included on his 1979 album Into the Music.
Recording and composition
"Full Force Gale" was recorded in spring, 1979 at the
The song has a moderately fast 4/4 tempo. It is in the key of D major. The song's introduction uses the chords D–A–G–A–D–G–D–A, while the verses use the chord progression D–A–G–D–A–G–D–A–G–A–D–A. The bridge uses the progression Bm-G-A.[3] The song features a slide guitar solo by Ry Cooder.[4]
In the lyrics Morrison describes the feeling of encounters with "the Lord". Biographer Peter Mills said that "It is a physical effect – he is "lifted up again" as if by a natural force, the full-force gale being a simile for this: 'Like a full force gale'". Because of this Mills concluded that Into the Music has religious elements to it: "Into the Music is New Testament, dealing with forgiveness, love and kindness."[4]
When biographer Steve Turner asked the singer about the theme of rebirth that occurs quite often in his songs, Morrison answered, "I wrote a song called 'Full Force Gale' in which I said 'No matter where I roam/I will find my way back home/I will always return to the Lord'. That answers it for me. No matter what I might say at the present, that's my feeling about that."[5]
Response
Record World said that "Van's stirring vocal has a great mate in the person of Toni Marcus and her heavenly electric violin."[6]
As described by
Appearance on other albums
- "Full Force Gale" is also featured on the 1990 compilation album The Best of Van Morrison.
- A live version appeared on the 1984 CD Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast.
- This song is one of the hits re-mastered in 2007 and included on the compilation album, Still on Top - The Greatest Hits.
Personnel
- Van Morrison: vocal, guitar
- Herbie Armstrong: guitar
- Ry Cooder: slide guitar
- Pee Wee Ellis: tenor saxophone
- David Hayes: bass
- Mark Isham: trumpet
- Mark Jordan: piano
- Toni Marcus: violin
- Katie Kissoon: backing vocals
- Peter Van Hooke: drums
Covers
- Elvis Costello – his version appears on the 1994 tribute album, No Prima Donna: The Songs of Van Morrison and also on Costello's own 1995 album, Kojak Variety.[9]
Notes
- ^ "Discog Fever - Rating and Reviewing Every Van Morrison Album (Part 2)". The Great Albums. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ Heylin. Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 523
- ^ Van Morrison Anthology, pp. 74-77
- ^ a b Mills. Hymns to the Silence, p. 325
- ^ Turner. Too Late to Stop Now, p. 142
- ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. 19 January 1980. p. 21. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ Ward, P.G. "Full Force Gale at allmusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
- ^ Hinton. Celtic Crossroads, p. 220
- ^ Handelman, David. "Elvis Costello's 21-artist salute". Salon.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
References
- ISBN 1-86074-169-X
- ISBN 0-670-89321-8
- Mills, Peter (2010), Hymns to the Silence: Inside the Words and Music of Van Morrison, London: Continuum, ISBN 978-0-8264-2976-6
- ISBN 0-670-85147-7
- Van Morrison Anthology, London: Wise Publications, ISBN 0-7119-2592-5