Van Morrison: 25 essential songs GLORIA: Van Morrison was 18 when he wrote Gloria. It was originally the B-side to Baby, Please Don't Go when he released it with his band, Them. There is a storming version on Morrison's live album It's Too Late to Stop Now. The song, with its simple and memorable chorus "G-L-O-R-I-A," has been sung or covered by countless music giants including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Patti Smith and U2. When Bruce Springsteen sang Gloria recently, he introduced it with the cry: "Let's take it back to where it all started!"