Morrison’s ‘Astral’ mystique

Excellent piece on the Friday night Van Morrison show -- loved your focus on the-impossible-to-explain impact of “the train” [“Nostalgic Night of ‘Astral Weeks,’ ” by Randy Lewis, Nov. 10].

Please allow me to add:

1. You were kind to omit mention of the countless empty seats at the “half-Bowl” because of ticket price gouging. In a recession, people simply did not want to pay $250. Even the cheaper ($100) seats were not fully sold out.

2. I’ve listened to “Madame George” at least 500 times and never once have I thought the character might be a transvestite. I know [rock journalist] Lester Bangs famously insisted on this interpretation, but Morrison has said more than once that it is not his interpretation. (I know you can’t believe songwriters, but that’s what he says.)

For me, the ambiguity of the lyrics is a large part of the appeal. Madame George could be anything or anybody.

3. I have long been aware of Morrison’s claim that Warner Bros. botched the order of the songs when the album was released in 1968. Until Friday night, I had no idea what the proper order might be. I am assuming that he moved “Ballerina” and “Slim Slow Slider” to the middle so that “Madame George” would be the finale.

Robert Sheahen

Los Angeles