Page "Van Morrison" Paragraph 18

Following the death of Berns in 1967, Morrison became involved in a contract dispute with Berns ' widow that prevented him from performing on stage or recording in the New York area.

The song " Big Time Operators ", released in 1993, is thought to allude to his dealings with the New York music business during this time period.

He then moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and was soon confronted with personal and financial problems ; he had " slipped into a malaise " and had trouble finding concert bookings.

However, through the few gigs he could find, he regained his professional footing and started recording with the Warner Bros. Records label.

The record company managed to buy out his contract with Bang Records.

Morrison fulfilled a clause that bound him to submit thirty-six original songs within a year to Web IV Music, Berns ' music publishing company, by recording thirty-one songs in one session ; however, Ilene Berns thought the songs " nonsense music ... about ringworms " and didn't use them.

The throwaway compositions would come to be known as the " revenge " songs.