And It Stoned Me

Album: Moondance (1970)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The song is about an experience Morrison had when he was 12 years old. After a day of fishing outside a village named Ballystockart in his native Ireland, Morrison and his friends stopped in one of the village's houses, where they saw an old man sitting inside. In Steven Turner's Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now, Morrison describes him as "dark weather-beaten."

    Morrison and his friends asked the man for water, and he gave them some he'd gotten from a nearby stream. As Morrison drank the stream water he slipped into mystical experience. "Time stood still," he says in Too Late to Stop Now. "For five minutes everything was really quiet and I was in this other dimension. "That's what the song is about."
  • "And It Stoned Me" is the first track on Van Morrison's third album, Moondance. He recorded the song at Warner Publishing Studio in New York City in the summer of 1969.
  • In the chorus, Morrison sings, "stoned me just like Jelly Roll," most likely referring to jazz legend Jelly Roll Morton. Morrison listened to Morton with his father while growing up.

    "Jelly roll" was also once common African American slang for a women's genitalia, which is what Morton's name covertly referenced.
  • On the back cover of the original vinyl release of Moondance, the song is incorrectly presented as "Stoned Me" rather than "And It Stoned Me."
  • Morrison made at least one other song that mentions Ballystockart with "A Sense Of Wonder," though in that case he refers to the road rather than the townland.

Comments: 3

  • Eddie from LondonMoondance is a great album which lots of people have strong feelings about. It's great to hear this info about the amazing song 'Stoned me'. I've only just started listening to Morrison and I'm so glad I picked up this album 'Moondance'. He's Irish apparently and his music- at least what i can make out- is apolitical. I believe Moondance was recorded in 1969, right at the beginning of the Troubles in his native Ireland yet he sings love songs and songs such as Into the Mystic. I'm 39 and its only now I've picked up on such real, soulful music. Can't wait to hear more from Morrison and more good music generally.
  • Momads from 85648Loved Van since 1970+ due to Moondance.
    What I got from It Stoned Me was his Use of OH The Water- in Celtic cultures 'Water' means 'the water of Life', which means Whiskey! An an essential part of Whiskey is Pure Spring Water....
    That would also Stone Me Just like Jelly Role...
  • Bill from UsWhenever Van the Man goes to that other dimension,
    and we that follow him know this,
    well, sometimes we go with him.
    And that is why I have everything he ever recorded.
    (well except the slew of bootlegs).
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.