Sweet Thing

Recorded on 15 October 1968 at Century Sound Studios in New York, the song came from the final Astral Weeks session, produced by Lewis Merenstein. Morrison's vocals and acoustic guitar were accompanied by Richard Davis on double bass, Jay Berliner on guitar and John Payne on flute, with strings arranged by Larry Fallon. Its optimistic vision of love and renewal provided a contrast to Astral Weeks' darker, more retrospective songs. The recording embodied Morrison's move toward freer vocal phrasing and acoustic ensemble arrangements. Covers by the Waterboys and Jeff Buckley brought the song to later audiences. It was the sole Astral Weeks selection included on the widely successful 1990 compilation The Best of Van Morrison.