(Runner-up: Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová’s stripped-down version) King, best known for his singing with The Drifters. Our money, though, is on soul singer Ben E. “Into the Mystic” has been covered by countless performers with endless renditions, from The Allman Brothers Band and Joe Cocker to The Wallflowers and Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová. While Morrison’s version has a more upbeat tempo and a piano and saxophone that makes you feel as if you are in a dream world, Burke brings his listeners back to the harsh reality that it really was only a dream. Solomon Burke’s version of “Only a Dream” is a stripped-down offering, baring the complete soul and pain of Morrison’s lyrics. (Runner-up: Greg Brown’s acoustic version) His smooth crooning and the brash army of trumpets add a bit of innocence to the song. Michael Buble brings a classic big band sound from the ‘40s to “Moondance.” Buble transforms Morrison’s sultry jazz song into an upbeat swing track. Sinead O’Connor put her signature vocal styling onto Morrison’s traditional rock ’n’ roll track. Van Morrison’s artistic influence spans five decades, and 1994’s No Prima Donna is a testament to his influence on some of the the biggest performers of the that decade. Sinead O’Connor – “You Make Me Feel So Free” (Runner-up: Jimmy Buffett’s steel-drum version)ĩ. The Boss has been known to add this sing-along favorite to his live set, capturing the full-fledged joy of the original and breathing new life into the most overplayed song in Morrison’s catalog. We’ve complied a list of the top ten covers of Van Morrison songs, to salute the man himself.ġ0. Tracks like “Moondance,” “Astral Weeks” and “Brown Eyed Girl,” have all become such timeless tracks that even kids born in this “Bieber era” know the words. With six Grammys to his name and a place in various Halls of Fame, his live performances have cemented his place as a rock god and soul diety. In career as monumental and influential as his, it’s no surprise that his catalog has been covered by some of the greatest musicians in the world. Grab a Guinness, sit down and get ready because Van Morrison turns 67 today.

Astral weeks by van morrison