Editing Moondance (section)

== Background ==
[[File:Catskills from Overlook Mountain.jpg|left|thumb|Morrison wrote songs for ''Moondance'' at a mountain-top home in [[the Catskills]] (view from [[Overlook Mountain]] pictured).]]
After leaving the rock band [[Them (band)|Them]], Morrison met record producer [[Bert Berns]] in New York City and recorded his first solo single, "[[Brown Eyed Girl]]", in March 1967 for Berns' [[Bang Records]]. When the producer unexpectedly died later that year, Morrison was offered a record deal by [[Warner Bros. Records]] executive Joe Smith, who had seen the singer perform at Boston's Catacombs nightclub in August 1968. Smith bought out Morrison's Bang contract, and he was able to record his first album for Warner Bros., ''[[Astral Weeks]]'', that year.<ref>{{harvnb|Anon.|2007|p=201}}; {{harvnb|Walsh|2018a|pp=15–19}}.</ref> Although it was later acclaimed by critics, its collection of lengthy, acoustic, revelatory [[folk jazz]] songs was not well received by consumers at the time and the album proved to be a commercial failure.<ref>{{harvnb|Anon.|2007|p=201}}; {{harvnb|Christgau|1972}}.</ref>

After recording ''Astral Weeks'', Morrison moved with his wife, Janet Planet, to a home on a mountain top in the [[Catskills]] near [[Woodstock, New York|Woodstock]], a hamlet in upstate New York with an artistic community.<ref>{{harvnb|Heylin|2004|p=229}}; {{harvnb|Anon.|2007|p=201}}.</ref> According to Planet, he was influenced by [[Bob Dylan]], who had just moved out of town when Morrison arrived. "Van fully intended to become Dylan's best friend", Planet recalled. "Every time we'd drive past Dylan's house ... Van would just stare wistfully out the window at the gravel road leading to Dylan's place. He thought Dylan was the only contemporary worthy of his attention."{{sfn|Walsh|2018b}}

Morrison began writing songs for ''Moondance'' in July 1969.{{sfn|Yorke|1975|pp=70–83}} Because of ''Astral Weeks''{{'}}s poor sales figures, the singer wanted to produce a record that would be more accessible and appealing to listeners. "I make albums primarily to sell them and if I get too far out a lot of people can't relate to it", he later said. "I had to forget about the artistic thing because it didn't make sense on a practical level. One has to live."{{sfn|Rogan|2006|p=248}} The musicians who went on to record ''Moondance'' with Morrison were recruited from Woodstock and would continue working with him for several years, including guitarist [[John Platania]], saxophonist Jack Schroer, and keyboardist [[Jef Labes]].<ref>{{harvnb|Tobler|2005}}; {{harvnb|Hage|2009|p=50}}.</ref> The singer left after the [[Woodstock]] music festival in August attracted an influx of people to the area.{{sfn|Tobler|2005}}
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