The “Moondance” is over.
After almost years of hits, Van Morrison has outed himself as a right wing anti-Semite on his new album, “Latest record Project, Vol. 1.”
The song that’s making people angry is “They Own the Media,” which doesn’t name its enemy but it seems pretty clear. And on YouTube, the comments coming in are all in agreement.
It’s a sad end to a great career. But the heyday of that career was 40 years ago.
Back in March, Van released a track called “Only a Song,” that I wrote about. I thought it was funny, that he was sending himself up. But it’s not only a song, Van. Words have meaning. I retract that whole review.
This album follows Morrison’s anti-lockdown song, “Stand and Deliver,” which compared wearing masks and social distancing to slavery. He got Eric Clapton to record it. I wonder if Clapton regrets that now.
“Stand and Deliver” isn’t on the new album, which has 28 tracks of a kook sounding off like Archie Bunker from his easy chair. In the press version of the album I received digitally in late March, “They Own the Media” was the third track. But now it’s been sent to almost the very end. Nevertheless, it’s standing out like a sore thumb on a bloody hand.
Here are the lyrics. After reading them, my first thought was to say: Van, Jackie Wilson said, go to hell.
And you know the problem? The music on the album is swell. All the crazy lyrics like “Stop Bitchin’, Do Something” are set to his brand of upbeat and moody jazz. This track, which you can hear below, has beautiful horn work. But that doesn’t negate the message, and maybe the way Van Morrison has felt all along. What a shame that he’s turned into a little shit.
They tell us that ignorance is bliss
I guess by those that control the media, it is
They own the media, they control the stories we are told
If you ever try to go against them, you will be ignored
‘Cause they control
They control
They control
They control the narrative, they perpetuate the myth
Keep on telling you lies, tell you ignorance is bliss
Believe it all and you’ll never get, nеver get wise
To thе truth, ’cause they control everything you do
Everything you do
Everything you do
Everything you do
They control the narrative, they perpetuate the myth
Keep on telling you lies, tell you ignorance is bliss
Believe it all and you’ll never get the truth
Never get wise, wise through their lies
Through their lies
Through their lies
They control the media
They control the media
They control the media
