Whatever the character's sexual identity, he or she comes across as a goodhearted ne'er-do-well who also carries a lot of sadness. When asked about the secret behind Van Morrison’s classic Astral Weeks LP 50 years later, Warren Smith has a simple answer: He got the right people. It's also possible that it's simply a woman named George, as throughout the song the character is referred to as 'she' and 'her.' Then again, it may simply be a show of respect to a transsexual's preferred gender. In addition to the obvious juxtaposition of the feminine identifier 'madame' (basically the French equivalent of 'Mrs.') with the man's name 'George,' Morrison sings: Still, many (including legendary rock journalist Lester Bangs) have seriously questioned Morrison's claim. On tracks like Sweet Thing, Cyprus Avenue and Madame George, he spun folk, jazz, blues and classical music into an uncanny whole, and today (Nov. Morrison himself has denied this, explaining it's just a mishmosh of multiple people he'd known. There’s never been anything like Astral Weeks not before or since. There are a few characters in this song, but they all revolve around Madame George, who gambles, parties, and possesses something that requires tossing out a window during a police raid.įor most listeners, it seems obvious that Madame George is a drag queen. It's also the title and subject of another Astral Weeks song. So in no way could Astral Weeks be considered a concept album or a song cycle.

Cyprus Avenue is a real place in Van Morrison's hometown of Belfast, Ireland. This song details nightlife on Cyprus Avenue, which is identified in the song's first line ('down on Cyprus Avenue'). No Guru, No Method, No Teacher came out in 1986, 18 years after Morrison’s magnum opus, and about two months shy of his 41st birthday.If you only know Van Morrison from Astral Weeks, the.

Van morrison songs youtube astral weeks