Gloria (Them song)
- For other songs with this title, see Gloria (song).
"Gloria" is a rock song written by Van Morrison and originally recorded by Morrison's band Them in 1964 as the B-side of "Baby Please Don't Go," which reached #10 on the UK charts. It later reached #71 on the U.S. charts in 1966. Over the years, it has become a classic in the rock genre, part of many rock bands' repertoires. It is particularly memorable for its "G-L-O-R-I-A" chorus. It is very easy to play and thus is popular with those learning to play guitar. Humorist Dave Barry joked that, if you drop a guitar down a flight of stairs, it will play "Gloria" on its way to the bottom.
Some of the many performers who have recorded cover versions of the Morrison original:
- The Gants (from their LP Roadrunner), earliest known cover version released in November 1965.
- Shadows of Knight (from Gloria), #10 in 1966, topping the original in the U.S.
- Buffalo Group, on Fine Recordings label in the mid to late 1960s recorded a version.
- As a staple of his concerts, Van Morrison recorded the song as a solo artist for his live albums, It's Too Late to Stop Now (1973) and A Night in San Francisco (1994).
- Patti Smith, from her 1975 album Horses. This is based on the Morrison tune, but its lyrics are reinvented for the nascent punk rock movement, retaining only the chorus, and adding possibly ironic allusions to the sacred versions. It memorably begins, "Jesus died for somebody's sins / But not mine."
- Enchantment (from Enchantment, 1976), #5 on Black Singles and #25 on Pop Singles in 1977.
- The Doors (from Alive, She Cried), a concert performance featuring late, original lead singer Jim Morrison (no relation to Van), #18 on Mainstream Rock and #71 on Hot 100 in 1983.
- Van Morrison himself with John Lee Hooker (from Too Long in Exile), returning the song to #36 on Mainstream Rock Tracks in 1993.
- Other covers of the Morrison song include those by notable artists like Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Rick Springfield, R.E.M., Rickie Lee Jones, 13th Floor Elevators and even a disco version by Santa Esmeralda.
The song continues to be played by thousands of bands from famous recording artists to unknown garage bands.