And It Stoned Me

Zoo Freaks, get ready to vibe with the Zoo Crew as we spin And It Stoned Me by Van Morrison from his iconic 1970 album Moondance. This track, kicking off the album, is a soulful journey rooted in a real childhood memory. Van shared in a 1985 interview that the song was inspired by a moment when he was about 12, fishing near Ballystockart, Northern Ireland. He and his friends stopped at a village house, where an old man with "dark weather-beaten skin" offered them water from a stream. After drinking it, Van felt time stand still, describing it as slipping into "another dimension" for five minutes—a mystical experience that became the heart of the song. This wasn’t about intoxication but a spiritual connection to nature, a theme woven deeply into Morrison’s work and Irish culture, echoing poets like W.B. Yeats.

The song’s chorus, with its nod to “Jelly Roll,” is a tribute to jazz legend Jelly Roll Morton, whose records Van listened to with his father growing up. Music critic Johnny Rogan called it a “wonderfully understated remembrance,” free of moralizing, capturing the awe of a simple moment. Fans on Reddit have shared their love for the track, with one user, Linus_in_Chicago, posting in 2016 about its nostalgic pull, tying it to childhood memories of listening with their dad. Another fan on Songfacts suggested the “water” might symbolize whiskey in Celtic tradition, though Van’s own words point to a literal stream. The song’s universal appeal lies in its ability to make a rainy day with fishing rods feel transcendent, covered by artists like Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, and The Allman Brothers Band.

Van Morrison, born George Ivan Morrison on August 31, 1945, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, started his musical journey as a teenager in the late 1950s. Known as “Van the Man,” he played guitar, harmonica, keyboards, and saxophone in local showbands, covering hits of the era. His big break came in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the Belfast R&B band Them, where he wrote and recorded the garage rock staple Gloria. Going solo in 1967, he scored a pop hit with Brown Eyed Girl under producer Bert Berns. After Berns’ death, Van signed with Warner Bros., releasing the experimental Astral Weeks in 1968, a critical darling that sold poorly at first. Moondance in 1970 cemented his status as a major artist, blending jazz, folk, and R&B with a more accessible sound, driven by his distinctive growl—a mix of blues, Celtic, and scat influences.

Stay connected with Van’s legacy through his official website for tour dates and music updates. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest news. Fans can dive deeper at sites like Van Morrison UK for discographies and history, or join discussions in Van Morrison Fans on Facebook, where devotees share stories and concert memories. Keep grooving, Zoo Freaks, and let And It Stoned Me take you to that mystic place!