song about being trapped, 'conquered in a car seat', and reduced to tortured silence, just like in (the song) 'T.B. Sheets'. The need for innocence in the earlier song is now equated to going crazy though the vision which then unfolds is out of time, and sexless. His dream lady in her antique carriage is only fourteen years old. Van's singing is totally possessed, moving from choked desire to exultation to hushed wonder." Live performances Morrison often performed "Cyprus Avenue" in the 1970s, using it to close his concerts in many instances. Jon Landau wrote a Rolling Stone review in 1971 describing a performance at a concert he had attended: "For an encore Van offered 'Cyprus Avenue'. Working his way up to a ferocious conclusion, he stood before the audience shaking his head back and forth, hair falling about him, looking like a man insane. Finally, with tension mounting, he ran across the stage, ran back again, jumped over a microphone cord, held the mike up to his face and screamed, 'It’s too late to stop now', and was gone." The intense live performances were said to be "clearly influenced by James Brown's stage theatrics" and in turn "influenced Bruce Springsteen, who used similar dynamics with his E Street Band shows." A live version of it as performed in concert in the summer of 1973 is included on his 1974 live album It's Too Late to Stop Now. A live performance was again featured on Morrison's first video Van Morrison in Ireland, released in 1981. Forty years after it was first recorded, "Cyprus Avenue" was featured on Morrison's 2009 album Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl. On this live album, the song was placed as the sixth song instead of the fourth with some new additions in content entitled "You Came Walking Down". Personnel Musicians include: Van Morrison – vocals, acoustic guitar Richard Davis – double bass Larry Fallon – harpsichord, string arrangements John Payne - flute uncredited - violin References Sources Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press, Hinton, Brian (2000). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison. Sanctuary, . Yorke, Ritchie (1975). Into The Music, London:Charisma Books, External links [ Allmusic Review] 1968 songs Van Morrison songs Songs written by Van Morrison Song recordings produced by Lewis Merenstein