Sweet Thing by Van Morrison has an atmosphere full of tenderness, wonder and joy. But underneath this there a feeling of transience, a melancholy sense of things coming to an end, and of inevitable change. It was written for his 1968 album Astral Weeks, at a time when the Northern Irish born Van had left his home country and was down-and-out in Boston, USA. We hear how the track has come to mean so much to so many.
Caroline Mellor from Brighton remembers an intense moment of hearing Sweet Thing whilst staying in the mountains of Andalucía, Spain.
Sammy Douglas, Councillor and current High Sheriff of Belfast, reflects on memories of the Troubles and how the song intertwines with the tale of his first love.
Ryan H. Walsh, Bostonian and author of Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968, explains how the seminal album Astral Weeks came about, and John Payne, flautist on Sweet Thing, shares memories of those extraordinary recording sessions with Van Morrison.
And singer-songwriter Alanna Joy from South Africa considers why she opens her live sets with her own rendition of Sweet Thing, and recalls hearing it for the first time through Jeff Buckley's cover.
Produced by Eliza Lomas for BBC Audio in Bristol Technical Producer: Ilse Lademann Editor: Emma Harding.
Mozart's Requiem
The Way You Look Tonight
Sukiyaki (Ue o Muite Arukou)
Bring Him Home
Fairytale of New York
Nimrod
Mack the Knife
Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica
Mr Blue Sky
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Scarborough Fair
First Cut Is the Deepest
Bach Cello Suite No 1 in G Major
Hallelujah
La Boheme
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Gracias a la Vida
Plaisir d'Amour / Can't Help Falling in Love With You:
A Shropshire Lad
Adagio in G minor
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Global News Podcast
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
The Infinite Monkey Cage
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins