Them Again
	Produced by Tommy Scott
	Released on January 21, 1966
	US CHART POSITION #138
	Find it at GEMM
820 564-2 cover [high resolution scan]

K ronomyth 2.0: AND THEM AGAIN MAYBE NOT. The second album from these British Invasion bridesmaids and the last to feature Van Morrison. Them Again didn’t produce a hit single and failed to chart in the UK (again), which is baffling since it’s nearly as good as what The Rolling Stones and The Animals were releasing. These days, the album is remembered for a handful of Van Morrison originals and a spot-on cover of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” The rest of the record features Morrison and the band (now featuring Jim Armstrong and Ray Elliott) flipping through a typical circa 65 songbook of Ray Charles (“I Got A Woman”), James Brown (“Out of Sight”), Fats Domino (“Hello Josephine”), Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (“I Put A Spell On You”) and Bobby Bland (“Turn On Your Love Light”). Morrison’s voice is in fine form throughout and the band provides enough oomph to keep things moving, especially on the closing “Bring ‘Em On In,” which sounds like the electrified Dylan. Although mostly a competent genre exercise, Them Again does foreshadow the solo music of Van Morrison in songs like “Would You Could You,” “My Lonely Sad Eyes” and “Hey Girl.” These are love songs with a dark streak, a hint of the heavy currents that would course through Van’s career. However, it’s clear even on this record that Morrison would have difficulty following his muse and taking direction in what was a heavily directed band, from the carefully cultivated image (notice how Ray and Van both have cigarettes in their hands?) to the not-so-carefully cultivated product (producer Tommy Scott accounts for nearly as much original material as Morrison). Of interest to collectors, the US version of this album was released with slightly different artwork and only 12 tracks. In 1989, the UK version was released on CD with the single “One More Time” added at the end. The disc is still in sore need of a good scrubbing/remaster, however, and sounds noticeably tinnier than most sessions from 1965.

TRACK LISTING

1. COULD YOU WOULD YOU    (Van Morrison)    3:15
2. SOMETHING YOU GOT    (Chris Kenner)    2:36
3. CALL MY NAME    (Tommy Scott)    2:23
4. TURN ON YOUR LOVE LIGHT    (Deadric Malone/Joe Scott)    2:18
5. I PUT A SPELL ON YOU    (Screamin' Jay Hawkins)    2:40
6. I CAN ONLY GIVE YOU EVERYTHING    (Phil Coulter/Tommy Scott)    2:43
7. MY LONELY SAD EYES    (Van Morrison)    2:27
8. I GOT A WOMAN    (Ray Charles)    3:16
9. OUT OF SIGHT    (Ted Wright/James Brown)    2:26
10. IT'S ALL OVER NOW, BABY BLUE    (Bob Dylan)    3:52
11. BAD OR GOOD    (Van Morrison)    2:09
12. HOW LONG BABY    (M.Gillon a/k/a Tommy Scott)    3:41
13. HELLO JOSEPHINE    (Fats Domino/Dave Bartholomew)    2:06
14. DON'T YOU KNOW    (Tommy Scott)    2:26
15. HEY GIRL    (Van Morrison)    2:59
16. BRING 'EM ON IN    (Van Morrison)    3:46
    
    US original elpee track listing
    
1. COULD YOU WOULD YOU    (Van Morrison)    3:15
2. SOMETHING YOU GOT    (Chris Kenner)    2:36
3. CALL MY NAME    (Tommy Scott)    2:23
4. TURN ON YOUR LOVE LIGHT    (Deadric Malone/Joe Scott)    2:18
5. I CAN ONLY GIVE YOU EVERYTHING    (Phil Coulter/Tommy Scott)    2:43
6. MY LONELY SAD EYES    (Van Morrison)    2:27
7. OUT OF SIGHT    (Ted Wright/James Brown)    2:26
8. IT'S ALL OVER NOW, BABY BLUE    (Bob Dylan)    3:52
9. BAD OR GOOD    (Van Morrison)    2:09
10. HOW LONG BABY    (M.Gillon a/k/a Tommy Scott)    3:41
11. DON'T YOU KNOW    (Tommy Scott)    2:26
12. BRING 'EM ON IN    (Van Morrison)    3:46
    
    1989 CD expanded reissue
    
17. ONE MORE TIME    (Van Morrison)    2:40

CREDITS

JIM ARMSTRONG -- guitar
RAY ELLIOTT -- keyboards, sax
ALAN HENDERSON -- bass
VAN MORRISON -- vocals, harmonica
JOHN WILSON -- drums
John Tracy -- additional compilation research & co-ordination (1989 reissue)
Shoot That Tiger! -- design (1989 reissue)

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