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Van Morrison — Wavelength
Album: Wavelength
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1537









Released: 1978
Length: 5:36
Plays (last 30 days): 0
This is a song about your wavelength
And my wavelength, baby
You turn me on
When you get me on your wavelength
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
With your wavelength
Oh, with your wavelength
With your wavelength
With your wavelength
Oh mama, oh mama, oh mama, oh mama oh mama, oh mama

Wavelength
Wavelength
You never let me down-no
You never let me down-no

When I'm down you always comfort me
When I'm lonely you see about me
You are ev'rywhere you're 'sposed to be
And I can get your station
When I need rejuvenation

Wavelength
Wavelength
You never let me down-no
You never let me down-no

I heard the voice of America
Callin' on my wavelength
Tellin' me to tune in on my radio
I heard the voice of America
Callin' on my wavelength
Singin' "Come back, baby
Come back
Come back, baby
Come back"

Do do do dou-dit do do dou-dit do do, do do do
Do do do dou-dit do do dou-dit do do, do do do

Won't you play that song again for me
About my lover, my lover in the grass, yeah, alright
You have told me 'bout my destiny
Singin' "Come back, baby
Come back
Come back, baby
Come back"

On my wavelength
Wavelength
You never let me down-no
You never let me down-no
When you get me on
When you get me on your wavelength
When you get me
Oh, yeah, Lord
You get me on your wavelength

You got yourself a boy
When you get me on
Get me on your wavelength
Ya radio, ya radio, ya radio
Ya radio, ya radio, ya radio
Comments (220)add comment
He's singing "Waaavelength"? All this time, like 43 years, I thought he was singing "Laaaaady"
Nice segue from Neil Young's Throw Your Hatred Down.  For a second I didn't notice the song had changed.
Love this song. Bobby Tench guitar has some bite. Had this on cassette, lots of car listening. 
This was his 1st "bad album"  after a string of  6 - to 7 great albums, starting with Astral Weeks.   
I would enjoy this song more were it not for the annoying (to me anyway) synthesizer.  Sounds in part like it was recorded in a video game arcade.
 (anonymous) wrote:
It's scary that any rock n' roller would NOT like or not at least appreciate this number, IMO. First consider the time of it's inception and then the multiple layers of perception that make it a timeless classic. Consider the line: "I hear the Voice of America calling me on my wavelength...." Now consider the failure of American foreign policy under Bush and the death of radio under the corporate control of Clear Channel Broadcasting that openly censures any voice of opposition to their politically conservative self interests rather than follow the priciples of freedom and democracy that rock n' roll is based on. Like I said, It's scary: Come back babies, come back. America needs rejuvination.
 
17 years down the road and it still does.  Now MORE than ever.
That's Sir Van now. 
 PeterMC3 wrote:
Should be the Radio Paradise theme song -

When I'm down you always comfort me
When I'm lonely you see about me
You are ev'rywhere you're 'sposed to be
And I can get your station
When I need rejuvenation
 

Well, that's so true!
 coloradojohn wrote:
I recall watching Van do this on SNL when it came out. Wow, was he EDGY! but he was passionate, locked-in, and wailed mightily. I was 16, and this was all over the radio waves in those days. Out in our parents' cars, weed and tall cans down by the train tracks...
 

This song was my intro to Van... I don't think he was on my radar before this song. Always loved it.
This is when Van the Belfast Cowboy, went a little cosmopolitan. 

Not good. 
Turn it up!
 sirdroseph wrote:
 phlattop wrote:

I remember it getting airplay then too. Sad that commercial rock stations have forgotten it and use keep playing the same 3 VM songs  that have been played to death (Moondance, Wild Night, Domino).  A great summer song.
 
Not true, add Into the Mystic and Brown Eyed Girl so they are recycling 5 songs which makes it ok. {#Wink}
 
True, they do play those. And I assume Rod Stewart's version of "Have I Told You Lately" still gets some airplay
I love this whole album!
 PeterMC3 wrote:
Should be the Radio Paradise theme song -

When I'm down you always comfort me
When I'm lonely you see about me
You are ev'rywhere you're 'sposed to be
And I can get your station
When I need rejuvenation
 
Agreed!  Not sure if I made it to the 2nd half of the song before, cuz once it starts speeding up (and those lines show up) I'm a big fan of this; enough to go 6 to 8 today....Long Live RP!!  
Should be the Radio Paradise theme song -

When I'm down you always comfort me
When I'm lonely you see about me
You are ev'rywhere you're 'sposed to be
And I can get your station
When I need rejuvenation
i could do without the clapping
Longest
The way I don't "get" Van feels similar to the way I don't "get" Mark E Smith, despite their music being so dissimilar.
 phlattop wrote:

I remember it getting airplay then too. Sad that commercial rock stations have forgotten it and use keep playing the same 3 VM songs  that have been played to death (Moondance, Wild Night, Domino).  A great summer song.
 
Not true, add Into the Mystic and Brown Eyed Girl so they are recycling 5 songs which makes it ok. {#Wink}
My hair has Wavelength.
 coloradojohn wrote:
I recall watching Van do this on SNL when it came out. Wow, was he EDGY! but he was passionate, locked-in, and wailed mightily. I was 16, and this was all over the radio waves in those days. Out in our parents' cars, weed and tall cans down by the train tracks...

 
I remember it getting airplay then too. Sad that commercial rock stations have forgotten it and use keep playing the same 3 VM songs  that have been played to death (Moondance, Wild Night, Domino).  A great summer song.
First song I heard using headphones.  Changed my life (Headphones, not the song).
I recall watching Van do this on SNL when it came out. Wow, was he EDGY! but he was passionate, locked-in, and wailed mightily. I was 16, and this was all over the radio waves in those days. Out in our parents' cars, weed and tall cans down by the train tracks...
 AlisiaSolorzano wrote:

BLAH BLAH
 
I get weird villainous emails like this every day.  I don't need them here too.  Perhaps I should continue giving Nigerian princes my bank account number too.
 AlisiaSolorzano wrote:

i have a bf for 11 years. we were living in one roof together until January he left me for another girl which he met in his work. he told me that he doesn't love me anymore, he's not happy with our relationship, he don't want to us to live in a miserable life together.before i knew he already rented a new place him and the girl, my world fell apart, i beg and plead after him, says sorry and promise to change if i did something wrong to him but nothing worked. i was so desperate to get him back. so i came across this spell caster dr.marnish@yahoo.com to help me solve my problem, i told him everything and he solved my problem and my lover came back
by Alisia Solorzano
(Fort Walton Florida USA)

 
She probably understands proper capitalization, spelling, and grammar. Although, Florida. He probably just needed a few new (misspelled) tat's.

(too harsh?)

Sh*t girl, just Van Morrison, not JeHeesus (But again, Florida!). 
Never liked this-give me something from "Bang Masters" and I'll be happy.
words escape me on how absolutely AWFUL this song is
 d-don wrote:

Thought he was saying, "O-Bama...O-Bama...O-Bama"
 
Nice comment!
 GalileoCoffeeCo wrote:
Ohh mama ohhh mama...👏👏👏👏👏👏
 
Thought he was saying, "O-Bama...O-Bama...O-Bama"
Never
Play
This
Song
Again                                             >> switching to computer. later...
Ohh mama ohhh mama...👏👏👏👏👏👏
 xtalman wrote:
I like this but it is a bit dated.
 
{#Wall}
Looks like Sting on the cover art
 idiot_wind wrote:
A bit too much synthesizer and mixing. Just compare this song to something off Astral Weeks or Veedon Fleece.
 
Just compare the late 70s to the late 60s.
That's one fine guitar solo
Something from 'Hard nose the highway' would be great, such an underplayed album. Great to hear vintage Van anyhow.
A bit too much synthesizer and mixing. Just compare this song to something off Astral Weeks or Veedon Fleece.
meh cat
2 {#Sleep}
This is improving my mood...
 solrac wrote:
best song ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I like it too but thats a bit much don't you think

;)

 
 Proclivities wrote:

Van Morrison may have written a lot of tunes (arguably, 7 tunes with 300 different titles), but I wouldn't consider him a trend-setter.  By 1978, it was quite trendy to wear tight, white trousers - due mostly to 1977's "Saturday Night Fever".  That whole look was pretty common by then, and it doesn't look as if a whole lot of thought or effort went into that cover anyhow.

"Okay, Van; what do you want on the cover of your next album?"
"I don't know, just take a picture of me sitting on that stool over there."
"Wait - I got a great idea: put on those white jeans and the black t-shirt."
.......
"Anyone got a light? I can't get these matches out of the pocket.  By the way, can I scribble on the cover with a couple of crayons before it goes to press?"


 
Please, please, do not put the album art on the artist's back. Album art has always been the country of the record companies. I know a lovely, folky singer from my homeland that was amazed at how white her teeth were when she saw her latest  CD cover. Nice pic, nice bit of photoshop...artists do not do the marketing on many albums. 
and the kitchen sink too!

I like this but it is a bit dated.
best song ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK.  This is not his best work.  But I still like it.
This has not stood the test of time, I'm afraid.
not The Man's best work.
Monstrously overproduced.
 Cynaera wrote:
Okay - First:  I love this song, so just shut up about it. {#Smile} Second: I heard something about a million years ago - it was an instrumental with which I was completely enraptured, and the radio DJ announced that it was called "Scandinavia" and was by Van Morrison.  I've not been able to find that song anywhere! 

Am I crazy, or does this song actually exist somewhere? (Don't answer the first part of that question, because you'd only be stating the obvious.)
 
Scandinavia is a beautiful song from 1982's appropriately titled "Beautiful Vision":
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Vision-Van-Morrison/dp/B000002KNG/ref=sr_1_24?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1318219754&sr=1-24
(and only $7.98!)  ; )

Okay - First:  I love this song, so just shut up about it. {#Smile} Second: I heard something about a million years ago - it was an instrumental with which I was completely enraptured, and the radio DJ announced that it was called "Scandinavia" and was by Van Morrison.  I've not been able to find that song anywhere! 

Am I crazy, or does this song actually exist somewhere? (Don't answer the first part of that question, because you'd only be stating the obvious.)
 govna wrote:
easily the worst van morrison song i've ever heard.
 
I agree. Totally. And I'm a fan of plenty of his music.
 
 scrubbrush wrote:

I think that cover from 1978 might be singularly responsible for several 80s trends that we're still regretting... it looks like the A-Ha "take on me" video

 
Van Morrison may have written a lot of tunes (arguably, 7 tunes with 300 different titles), but I wouldn't consider him a trend-setter.  By 1978, it was quite trendy to wear tight, white trousers - due mostly to 1977's "Saturday Night Fever".  That whole look was pretty common by then, and it doesn't look as if a whole lot of thought or effort went into that cover anyhow.

"Okay, Van; what do you want on the cover of your next album?"
"I don't know, just take a picture of me sitting on that stool over there."
"Wait - I got a great idea: put on those white jeans and the black t-shirt."
.......
"Anyone got a light? I can't get these matches out of the pocket.  By the way, can I scribble on the cover with a couple of crayons before it goes to press?"




{#Puke}


easily the worst van morrison song i've ever heard.
Those tight pants are his secret weapon.....that's how he's singing the those high notes in the beginning.....then he settles into the pants and comes back down.
 Stingray wrote:
Van-the-Man...

but not for me - not today, not with this song!
 
Dodgy Van-Man .... can do so much better

 johnjconn wrote:
Van Boringson
 
pretty much agree!

Van-the-Man...

but not for me - not today, not with this song!

I think that cover from 1978 might be singularly responsible for several 80s trends that we're still regretting... it looks like the A-Ha "take on me" video



 dctrpunda wrote:
Is it just me or did Van borrow some pants from the Bee Gees for the cover?
 
I was noticing that too. hee hee

WOOOOOT!
Van Morrison has a vibe and energy that transends everything negative ever uttered about him!  Rock on!

 
johnjconn wrote:
Van Boringson
 


 johnjconn wrote:
Van Boringson
 
Couldn't help but check, and four out of all six of your "10" ratings are Radiohead.

Just sayin'....

Peace out.

This is so good, it's almost cosmic.  It's been my favorite Van Morrison song ever since I can remember... {#Sunny}
Is it just me or did Van borrow some pants from the Bee Gees for the cover?
Nice one!
Aaah!  Van the Man {#Cool}
 Zep wrote:

Played too much on commercial radio, dontcha know?
 
When did you stop listening to "commercial radio"?  1979?  Wavelength has been an obscure Van track for a long, long time (except here at RP, thank god).

Jet me back to age 13 with my first set of headphones and the experience of true adolescent musical immersion.  I get a buzz off this song.
Kinda like Air Supply, but with actual soul. Not what I expect to hear out of Van.
But alas,  my wavelength is a sine and yours is a cosine. 

Huh, somehow I missed this one first time around. Eh, that's alright, it is decent, but not as good as lot of his other tunes.
Whats the Wavelength Freddly?

Nice!!
I'm definitely locked in on this "Wavelength".
All I can say is thanks for that.....not so important in the great Van pantheon, but hugely important to me.


 kobkob wrote:
never heard this b4 , good stuff {#Clap}
I've heard this a kajillion times before - and it's still good stuff! {#Sunny}


never heard this b4 , good stuff {#Clap}
 jagdriver wrote:

.....I have noticed the Bill and Rebecca have a leaning toward obscure stuff you cannot hear anywhere else. My guess is they use this in an effort to lock in listeners.

 By design or accident, I have no idea.  But the strategy of "locking in" this listener sure is working!

 

{#Dancingbanana}




Godlike.
 Zep wrote:

Played too much on commercial radio, dontcha know?
 
Not these days! certainly better than 6.5. Loved it back then, love it now.

Does commercial radio play any Van besides Moondance, Domino, or Wild Night? No, Stewart's cover of "Have I told you.." does not count.{#Think}

 jktravl wrote:
A good pedestrian introduction to Van as this was a semi-hit. Still pedestrian compared to the live double album, "it's too late to stop now"  Would love to hear some cuts from that one. Van in his essence.
 
I agree with you, I've heard some cuts off that album and they are stellar. I see that there are a few songs from that album in the RP library that have never been played. RP, can you put them in rotation? {#Wave}
Pyro wrote:
This is a 6.5? Damn, RP is a rough crowd!

Played too much on commercial radio, dontcha know?


A good pedestrian introduction to Van as this was a semi-hit. Still pedestrian compared to the live double album, "it's too late to stop now"  Would love to hear some cuts from that one. Van in his essence.
 jagdriver wrote:
Ummm... with the CD out of print and this not being available for download from anywhere, maybe because the only place anyone can hear this is on RP? I have noticed the Bill and Rebecca have a leaning toward obscure stuff you cannot hear anywhere else. My guess is they use this in an effort to lock in listeners.
 
It's a conspiracy!


This is a 6.5?  Damn, RP is a rough crowd!
Van the Man...
When Van Morrison is on form he can be great, and this is a good example of what I mean.
 -relayer- wrote:
There is so much good Van Morrison to play - why does this one keep coming up?
 
Ummm... with the CD out of print and this not being available for download from anywhere, maybe because the only place anyone can hear this is on RP? I have noticed the Bill and Rebecca have a leaning toward obscure stuff you cannot hear anywhere else. My guess is they use this in an effort to lock in listeners.
There is so much good Van Morrison to play - why does this one keep coming up?
 Cruithne3753 wrote:
Is someone playing the old Sinclair computer game "Manic Miner" in the background?
 
I was thinking the same thing - it brought back memories of the central cavern and killer toilets.

 copymonkey wrote:
Ohhh YEAHHH! Trying, unsucessfully, to do my Algebra homework in 1979, listening to a one speaker clock radio...and THIS comes on! And so many more musical doors open....
 
Hmmmm, I'm thinking 1979 too but it's not algebra homework as the exams were over. School was done, next step was college, uni, employment. I remember playing it a few times through the night as..........

I've been dubious about Van Morrison for quite a while and this one confirms it.  Turgid.  Bollocks, actually.
 splooge wrote:
I have tried so hard to like VM music but have failed. I'm sure he is a great poet but I just think his music is way too bland. sorry.

 
Put on "Moondance". Turn it up. Groove on that totally awesome walking bass. If that don't do it, then give up.


I never tire of Van the Man. Yahoo!  {#Drummer}
 Laptopdog wrote:
It really frustrates me that this album is out of print. I have been wanting to get this CD for years! It's not even available for download anywhere. What's up with that?!!
 
It's available on Amazon.com for 12.98.

Some people don't like Neil Young's voice. Me, I can't stand Van Morrison's voice. It has always annoyed me. But hey, I can mute it ... 
Not bad for late 70s music.
I have tried so hard to like VM music but have failed. I'm sure he is a great poet but I just think his music is way too bland. sorry.
Be a good theme song for this station
Laptopdog wrote:
It really frustrates me that this album is out of print. I have been wanting to get this CD for years! It's not even available for download anywhere. What's up with that?!!
Wow. Used and a few new copies of the CD sell for anywhere from $30 - $75 on Amazon. I had never looked for it, cause I listened to it so much when it came out that I kind of burned out on it. It would be nice to be able to download it though.
I don't hear any good singing here.
grant wrote:
Great singing and some GREAT GUITAR playing on this toon.
Right on!
Ohhh YEAHHH! Trying, unsucessfully, to do my Algebra homework in 1979, listening to a one speaker clock radio...and THIS comes on! And so many more musical doors open....
Laptopdog wrote:
It really frustrates me that this album is out of print. I have been wanting to get this CD for years! It's not even available for download anywhere. What's up with that?!!
I'm quoting myself. Actually, since I posted that comment, this song is finally available on his "Still On Top: The Greatest Hits" CD.
On a roll for the last hour...
Van Morrisson did symphonic/progrock-synthesizers and canned disco-handclaps? Eeewww, he must have felt dirty...
Hide the Tupelo Honey, Van Bear-ison draws near.
Elton (Van Morrison) John
Laptopdog wrote:
It really frustrates me that this album is out of print. I have been wanting to get this CD for years! It's not even available for download anywhere. What's up with that?!!
I have two words for you: eBay. (OK, maybe that's just one word. Or maybe it isn't even a word at all, but you get the idea.)
the opening of this song very much reminds me of Flight of the Conchords
Kristi wrote:
Love VM!
Me too!!!
n4ku wrote:
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
Love VM!
It really frustrates me that this album is out of print. I have been wanting to get this CD for years! It's not even available for download anywhere. What's up with that?!!
I saw him in the movie The Last Waltz back in the seventies when it came out and thought what an old geezer he was. Saw it again a few weeks ago and realized how wrong I was. Van the Man ROCKS!!!!
coloradojohn wrote:
Whoah, this takes me back to an SNL show where this guy was belting out this tune and he made me think he was the blackest white dude I ever saw and damn I was jealous of his style and swagger and I was in high school and life was young and war was taking a break or so it seemed and this guy grabbed us and held us and yelled into our ears and man we could dig it!
I remember that SNL show as well. Was at a hotel after a friends's wedding partying. We all stopped to hear VM.
Whoah, this takes me back to an SNL show where this guy was belting out this tune and he made me think he was the blackest white dude I ever saw and damn I was jealous of his style and swagger and I was in high school and life was young and war was taking a break or so it seemed and this guy grabbed us and held us and yelled into our ears and man we could dig it!
Even the disco influenced producers of the 70's couldn't hide this guy's indomitable talent, although they came close on this tune.
"Singin' come back, Baby Come back Baby, come back..." You can never go home again. But I sure wish you could.