Music is weird. You think you know a song because you've heard it at every wedding reception since 1993, and then you actually sit down and look at the liner notes. Most people hear "Have I Told You Lately" and immediately picture Rod Stewart in a satin suit, maybe some flickering tea lights and a slow dance. But the song didn’t start with Rod. It started with a grumpy, transcendentalist Irishman named Van Morrison.
It’s one of those rare tracks that managed to hit the lottery twice. First, as a soulful, spiritual hymn in 1989, and then as a global pop juggernaut in the early nineties. Honestly, the two versions feel like completely different animals if you’re listening closely. One is about God. The other is about a girlfriend.
The Van Morrison Original: Not Your Typical Love Song
When Van Morrison wrote "Have I Told You Lately" for his album Avalon Sunset, he wasn't trying to write a chart-topper. He was in a headspace deeply influenced by his own search for spirituality. If you listen to the original 1989 version, it’s sparse. It’s quiet. There is a specific kind of yearning in Van’s voice that feels less like a romantic plea and more like a prayer of gratitude.
Many music critics, including those at Rolling Stone at the time, pointed out that the "you" in the song isn't necessarily a person. For Van, the "Morning Sun" and the "ease of my troubles" often referred to the Divine. It’s a song about the Earth and the Spirit. He’s basically saying that the presence of the creator takes away the sadness and fills his heart with gladness. It’s a heavy concept disguised as a simple melody.
The arrangement on Avalon Sunset uses strings in a way that feels organic, almost like they’re breathing. It won a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals later on when he performed it with The Chieftains, further cementing its status as a masterpiece of Irish soul. But even with that acclaim, it stayed somewhat "niche" compared to what was coming next.
How Rod Stewart Turned a Prayer Into a Power Ballad
Enter Rod Stewart. By 1991, Rod was a master of the cover song. He had this uncanny ability to take a song that was slightly left-of-center and polish it until it shone like a diamond for Top 40 radio. When he included a live version of "Have I Told You Lately" on his Unplugged...and Seated album, he fundamentally changed the song's DNA.
Suddenly, the spiritual ambiguity was gone. In Rod's hands—and with that iconic, raspy delivery—it became the definitive romantic declaration. It’s a bit ironic. A song written by a man who famously dislikes the music industry's machinery became one of the most commercially successful songs of the decade because of that very machinery.
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The Unplugged version was a massive hit. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed on the Adult Contemporary charts for what felt like an eternity. Why? Because it’s safe. It’s beautiful. It’s the kind of song that makes people feel like they’re being seen. Rod took the "prayer" out of the church and put it into the bedroom, or at least onto the dance floor of a Marriott ballroom.
The Semantic Shift: From Divine to Devoted
Language matters. When Van sings "You lift my spirit and take away all of my sadness," it feels like an exorcism of sorts. When Rod sings it, it feels like a guy acknowledging that his partner handles the heavy lifting in the relationship. Neither is "wrong," but the shift in meaning is fascinating.
Some fans of the original find the Stewart version a bit too "syrupy." They miss the grit. They miss the silence between the notes that Morrison used so effectively. On the flip side, the vast majority of the public prefers the warmth of the Stewart cover. It’s more accessible. You don't have to be a theology student to understand why Rod is singing.
Why the Song Still Dominates the Wedding Industry
There’s a reason you can’t escape this song if you spend enough time around white lace and tiered cakes. It hits the "Golden Ratio" of wedding music.
- The tempo is easy to slow-dance to without looking like a middle schooler.
- The lyrics are affirmative without being overly possessive.
- It works for both the "First Dance" and the "Mother-Son" dance.
- It’s cross-generational; grandma likes it and the 30-somethings know it from the radio.
Basically, it’s bulletproof. But there's a danger in a song becoming too popular. It starts to blend into the background. You stop hearing the words and just hear "Wedding Song #4." To truly appreciate it again, you have to strip away the associations with champagne toasts and listen to the construction of the melody itself.
The Technical Brilliance of the Composition
The song follows a relatively standard verse-chorus-verse structure, but the bridge is where the magic happens. The shift into "There's a love that's less defined" (in some interpretations) or the emphasis on the "ease of my troubles" provides a harmonic release that satisfies the ear.
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Van Morrison is a notoriously difficult musician to work with because he values spontaneity over perfection. That’s why his version feels a bit "loose" and alive. Rod’s version, even though it was "unplugged," was meticulously rehearsed. The strings enter at exactly the right moment to tug at your heartstrings. It’s a masterclass in production.
Misconceptions and Forgotten Covers
Did you know Elvis Costello covered it? Probably not. Most people don't. A lot of artists have tried to capture the lightning in a bottle that Van created, but most fail because they lean too hard into the sentimentality.
One big misconception is that the song was written for Van’s wife at the time. While he was married to Michelle Rocca later on, the timeline doesn’t perfectly align with the "romantic muse" theory that fans love to push. Van has always been cagey about his inspirations. He’d rather you think about the music than his private life.
Identifying the "Best" Version
Look, it’s subjective. If you want a raw, soulful experience that makes you question your place in the universe, go with Van Morrison’s 1989 studio cut. If you want to feel a warm hug and remember a specific moment of romantic bliss, Rod Stewart’s Unplugged version is the gold standard.
There’s also a great version by the Chieftains that brings in traditional Irish instrumentation. It’s worth a listen if only to hear how the melody translates to the tin whistle and uilleann pipes. It brings the song back to its roots in the soil of Ireland.
Actionable Takeaways for the Music Fan
If you’re planning a playlist or just want to dive deeper into this specific era of songwriting, here is how to actually engage with "Have I Told You Lately" beyond the surface level.
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1. Listen to them back-to-back. Start with the Avalon Sunset version. Pay attention to the silence. Then, immediately switch to Rod Stewart’s live version. You’ll notice how the "energy" of the room changes. It’s a great exercise in understanding how arrangement changes meaning.
2. Check the credits. Look at the musicians involved. On Rod's version, you have Ronnie Wood on guitar. That's a Rolling Stone playing a mandolin-style part on a Van Morrison cover. The pedigree of these recordings is insane.
3. Use it correctly. If you are picking this for a wedding, know that the Van Morrison version is actually shorter and more "serious." If your guests aren't big music nerds, they might find it "weird" compared to the Rod version they expect. If you want the sing-along moment, you go with Rod.
4. Explore the "Vandemonium" era. If you like the vibe of the original, don't stop there. Check out Moondance or Tupelo Honey. Van Morrison has a dozen songs that carry this same weight, even if they didn't all get the Rod Stewart treatment.
The reality is that "Have I Told You Lately" is a survivor. It survived the synth-heavy eighties, the grunge-soaked nineties, and the irony-filled 2000s. It remains a staple because, at its core, it says something we are often too scared or too busy to say ourselves. Whether you’re saying it to a partner or a higher power, the sentiment remains one of the most powerful things a human can express. Gratitude is timeless. And apparently, so is a well-placed string section.