Ballerina

Recorded on October 15, 1968, during the Astral Weeks sessions at Century Sound Studios in New York City. Lewis Merenstein produced the session, with Van Morrison on vocals and acoustic guitar and a small group of New York session musicians. “Ballerina” appeared on Astral Weeks, the album that established Morrison’s Warner Bros. era and became one of his most acclaimed recordings. The track is one of the album’s most admired performances for its restrained arrangement and expressive vocal delivery. The song remained a favored Astral Weeks piece in later live performances, including Morrison’s 2009 Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl project. It has also been covered, helping to keep it in circulation among later rock and Americana musicians.