Come Running

"Come Running" by Van Morrison

Step into the spring of 1970, when Van Morrison was deep into one of the most celebrated creative runs in popular music, blending soul, folk, jazz, and rhythm and blues into something entirely his own. "Come Running" arrived as a bright, joyful burst of that genius, a buoyant and irresistibly warm song that practically bounces with good feeling. It showed a side of Morrison that was pure delight, a counterpoint to his more mystical and introspective work, and it gave him one of his early American chart successes as a solo artist.

Morrison in His Golden Period

By 1970 Van Morrison had already produced landmark work, including the masterpiece album "Astral Weeks," a record now regarded as one of the finest in popular music history. "Come Running" appeared on his next album, Moondance, a collection that broadened his appeal and remains one of his most beloved. The song captured Morrison at a moment of remarkable creative fertility, an artist confident enough to follow his most ambitious instincts while also crafting accessible, joyful songs that could connect on the radio.

A Joyful Burst of Sound

The recording bubbles with energy, built on a rolling rhythm, bright piano, and Morrison's distinctive, soulful voice. It is a celebration of romantic anticipation, the kind of song that conveys happiness through sheer momentum. The arrangement is loose and lively, full of warmth and a swinging, good-time feel that sets it apart from his weightier material. There is a sense of effortless joy throughout, the sound of an artist clearly enjoying himself and inviting the listener to share in the pleasure.

Its Run on the Hot 100

The single gave Morrison a solid showing on the American chart in the spring of 1970. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1970, at number 78, then climbed steadily through 59, then 43, settling at its peak of number 39 during the week of April 25, 1970, where it held for a second week. Across its life the record spent eight weeks on the Hot 100, a respectable run that helped introduce Morrison's solo work to a wider American audience during a pivotal stage of his career.

A Bright Spot in a Towering Catalog

"Come Running" may not be the most famous song from its celebrated album, but it captures an essential dimension of Van Morrison: his capacity for pure, uncomplicated joy. It belongs to a body of work that would secure his place among the most respected songwriters of his generation. The song endures as a buoyant reminder that beneath Morrison's reputation for the mystical and the profound was an artist who could also simply make you feel good. It remains a delightful entry point into one of music's great catalogs.

The Album That Broadened His World

It helps to understand where this song sits in Morrison's artistic journey. The album it came from marked a deliberate move toward warmth and accessibility after the dense, mystical beauty of his previous masterpiece. Where that earlier record was hushed and exploratory, this one swung and grooved, full of horns, lively rhythms, and an embrace of soul and rhythm and blues. "Come Running" sits near the bright, upbeat end of that spectrum, the sound of an artist deciding that joy was worth pursuing as seriously as profundity. That choice paid off, winning Morrison a far larger audience and establishing him as a figure who could move between the transcendent and the simply pleasurable. The song demonstrates that range in miniature, proving that an artist celebrated for depth could also deliver a few minutes of pure, swinging delight without sacrificing an ounce of his integrity. It is the work of a musician comfortable enough in his gifts to let himself have fun.

Press play and let Van Morrison's joyful, rolling groove fill a spring afternoon with pure good feeling.

"Come Running" — Van Morrison's singular moment on the 1970s charts.