Moondance - Van Morrison

Inspirational music can come from many sources - I've lost count the number of times I've come across new bands and music I otherwise wouldn't have heard whilst listening to the radio - but isn't that one if it's main aims? I guess so. But in a teen comedy flick?

DB and I were keen film watchers so when we used to have spare afternoons in our academic diaries we would head off to the video shop to pick a movie to watch that afternoon. And that's where the problems started. You see DB was partial to an action movie, preferably with little or no plot but lots of explosions and guns aplenty. I thought this was so dull. My preference was for something a bit quirky and indie - preferably something that was Oscar nominated, or at least Palm D'Or. Dave thought this was so dull. So we were at an impasse; two immovable rocks - neither wanting to give in to the others ridiculous demands. We would be in there for hours, the pressure mounting whilst our available viewing time slowly ebbed away. Occasionally one of us would get our own way and would leave the video shop happy, whilst the other seethed under his breath, vowing not to enjoy the movie. But more often than not we would compromise and leave the shop with a film that neither of us wanted to watch. Democracy in action!

So one day, having had our usual two hour debate, we left clutching the latest piece of work by renowned actor Corey Haim, 'Dream A Little Dream'. I forget the actual plot, but I think it surrounded a body-swap kinda thing - these were popular in the late 80s. Anyway, the film wasn't too bad, or at least that is my memory of it, but nothing spectacular. Then, out of the blue, this song played on the soundtrack. It was amazing and added really gravitas to the drama being played out - elevating the mundane to majestical.

'Into The Mystic' is a fantastic track, one of my absolute favourites, and I have 'Dream A Little Dream' to thanks for finding it - I waited until the end if the movie to see the credits and then set off to find the album. In 1989 things were a little more awkward.

I wouldn't say I was a huge Van fan, but 'Moondance' is a special album; cool and jazzy with some great tunes and is often hailed as one of the great albums.

Thankfully I'm much less fussy when it comes to movies and can quite happily watch the latest action movies just as much as I can a French film with subtitles. After all you never know what you are going to like until you like it.