Van Morrison has announced The Prophet Speaks, his 40th(!) studio album. Like last year’s Roll With The Punches and this year’s You’re Driving Me Crazy, the upcoming The Prophet Speaks combines six new compositions with covers of old blues and soul classics from the likes of John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke, and Solomon Burke.

“It was important for me to get back to recording new music as well as doing some of the blues material that has inspired me from the beginning,” Van Morrison explains in a statement. “Writing songs and making music is what I do, and working with great musicians makes it all the more enjoyable.”

The great musicians featured on The Prophet Speaks once again include multi-instrumentalist Joey DeFrancesco and his backing band — Dan Wilson on guitar, Michael Ode on drums, and Troy Roberts on tenor saxophone. The full album will be out in December, and you can listen to its first single and title track below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Gonna Send You Back To Where I Got You From” (Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Leona Blackman)
02 “Dimples” (John Lee Hooker, James Bracken)
03 “Got To Go Where The Love Is” (Van Morrison)
04 “Laughin’ And Clownin'” (Sam Cooke)
05 “5 AM Greenwich Mean Time” (Van Morrison)
06 “Gotta Get You Off My Mind” (Solomon Burke, Delores Burke, Josephine Burke Moore)
07 “Teardrops” (J.D. Harris)
08 “I Love The Life I Live” (Willie Dixon)
09 “Worried Blues / Rollin’ And Tumblin'” (J.D. Harris)
10 “Ain’t Gonna Moan No More” (Van Morrison)
11 “Love Is A Five Letter Word” (Gene Barge)
12 “Love Is Hard Work” (Van Morrison)
13 “Spirit Will Provide” (Van Morrison)
14 “The Prophet Speaks” (Van Morrison)

The Prophet Speaks is out 12/7 on Caroline International. Pre-order it here.