Tupelo Honey (song)

"Tupelo Honey"
Single by Van Morrison
from the album Tupelo Honey
B-side"Starting a New Life"
ReleasedDecember 1971[1]
GenreCountry soul,[2] country rock[3]
Length6:54
3:59 (single version)
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Van Morrison
Producer(s)Van Morrison, Ted Templeman
Van Morrison singles chronology
"Wild Night"
(1971)
"Tupelo Honey"
(1971)
"(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball"
(1972)
Official audio
"Tupelo Honey" on YouTube

"Tupelo Honey" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and the title song from his 1971 album, Tupelo Honey. The title derives from an expensive, mild-tasting tupelo honey produced in the southeastern United States. Released as a single in 1971, it reached number 47 on the U.S. pop chart.

The melody, which has a catchy, soulful feel to it, was borrowed from Morrison's song "Crazy Love", released the previous year.[4] This same melody was later used by Van Morrison on the song, "Why Must I Always Explain?", on his 1991 double album, Hymns to the Silence.[5] Morrison has played "Tupelo Honey" in a medley with both "Crazy Love" and "Why Must I Always Explain?" in concert.[6]

  1. ^ "Top 20 Pop Spotlight". Billboard. 18 December 1971. p. 62.
  2. ^ "Tupelo Honey by van Morrison - Track Info | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "10 country rock tracks by UK artists". 16 March 2020.
  4. ^ Brooks. In Search of Van Morrison, p.62
  5. ^ "Van Morrison: Keep It Simple: Music Review". slantmagazine.com. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  6. ^ Becker, Gunter. "Van Morrison song database". ivan.vanomatic.de. Retrieved 6 December 2009.