Between 1967’s "Brown Eyed Girl" and Astral Weeks a year later are some Van Morrison songs like none you’ve ever heard, unless you already know about his Contractual Obligation album.

To fulfill his Bang label record deal, Van tore off 31 songs in a one day Shaggs-like session. His guitar does sound out of tune after a while. It stays that way for the duration.

Stomp And Scream

Few are longer than 90 seconds, and all lyrics were improvised on the spot. Their names are equally brusque. "Stomp And Scream." "Scream And Holler." "The Wobble." Four have "George" -- Van’s real first name and a reprise of his hit "Madame George" -- in their titles. "Hang On Groovy" is a thinly-disguised sendup of "Hang On Sloopy," a Bang label hit for the McCoys three years earlier.

The 31 are not devoid of musical value, however.

Twist And Shake

Listen closely to the opening tracks, "Twist And Shake" and "Shake And Roll," and you’ll be singing Buddy Holly’s "Everyday." The lyrics, such as they are, are no more obtuse than those of classics such as "Domino," one of the more cryptic songs in the Morrison oeuvre.

Never released by Bang, long available only on bootleg tapes, the 31 can now be found on Brown-Eyed Beginnings, and on disc two of The Complete Bang Sessions, as well as the download section of WFMU’s web site.

Things To Do

There are things everyone must do in their lifetime. Cross the Equator. Meet a beautiful stranger of the opposite sex on a rainy Paris night. Listen to Van Morrison’s Contractual Obligation album.