Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison OBE Generally Known As Van Morrison Or Van The Man Born 31 August 1945 Is A Grammy Award-Winning Artist From Belfast Northern Ireland. He's A Singer Songwriter Author Poet And Multi-Instrumentalist Who Has Been A Professional Musician Since 1958. He Plays A Variety Of Instruments Including The Guitar Harmonica Keyboards Drums And Saxophone. Featuring His Characteristic Growl - A Unique Mix Of Folk Blues Irish Scat And Celtic Influences - Morrison Is Widely Considered One Of The Most Unusual And Influential Vocalists In The History Of Rock And Roll. He Has Received Numerous Music Awards During His Career Including Six Grammy Awards 1996–2007 Inductions Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame January 1993 The Songwriters Hall Of Fame June 2003 And The Irish Music Hall Of Fame September 1999 And A Brit Award February 1994 . Known As "Van The Man" By His Fans Morrison First Rose To Prominence As The Lead Singer Of The Northern Irish Band Them Writing Their 1964 Hit "Gloria". A Few Years Later Morrison Left The Band For A Successful Solo Career Starting With The Album Astral Weeks. Morrison Has Pursued An Idiosyncratic Musical Path. Much Of His Music Is Tightly Structured Around The Conventions Of American Soul And R&B Such As The Popular Singles "Brown Eyed Girl" "Moondance" "Domino" And "Wild Night". An Equal Part Of His Catalogue Consists Of Lengthy Loosely Connected Spiritually Inspired Musical Journeys That Show The Influence Of Celtic Tradition Jazz And Stream-Of-Consciousness Narrative Such As His Classic Album Astral Weeks And Lesser Known Works Such As Veedon Fleece And Common One. The Two Strains Together Are Sometimes Referred To As "Celtic Soul " And Morrison Rejects The Characterization Of His Genre Of Music As Rock Citing Elvis Presley As A Non-Influence. He Continues To Perform Regularly And Achieved His Highest U.S. Chart Position Number Ten On The Billboard 200 With His 2008 Album Keep It Simple.
This Song Starts With Lyrics Evocative Of Childhood Experiencies Using Poetic Imagery About A Young Boy Who Wanders Through His Neighbourhood And Beyond. The Boy's Name Appears To Be An Abbreviation Of George Ivan Morrison . It Probably Brings Out Nostalgia In Many Of Us Who Meandered Similarly. Your Present Writer In Fact Sees Mental Images Of The Railroad Along Which He Wandered A Railroad Bridge Over A Stream The Semi Rural Countryside. Research Suggests That The Bridge Referred To In The Lyrics Of The Longer Earlier Version Of This Song Is A Road Bridge Going Over A Railway Line In West Belfast . The Primary Theme Metamorhoses Into Memories Of A Grieving For And A Wistful Yet Resigned Acceptance Of The Loss Of A Past Love. This Transcendence Is Attained Through The Songwriter's Rationalization That They Will Be Together He Will Be Beside Her In A Unique Timeless Fantasy In His Imagination Perhaps In His Dreams Or Even In His Afterlife In Eternity. There Is A Notion That This Creation May Have Been Assisted Or Inspired By Van Being In An Altered State Projected In The Lyrics Onto His Lost Love.... "......You Breathe In You Breathe Out You Breathe In You Breathe Out And You're High On Your High-Flyin' Cloud Wrapped Up In Your Magic Shroud As Ecstasy Surrounds You......" The Two Themes Meld Into A Mystic Fusion Of Beautiful Powerful Mental Images And Metaphors Which Take Us To Places Distant And High Soulful Sad And Eternal. The "Astral Weeks" Version With Its Abbreviated Lyrics Though Shorter Has The Appeal Of Studio-Slick Sound With Instrumental Support From A Sweet Guitar A Mellifluous Flute And Most Of All Indescribably Masterful Esoteric Vocals From Van Himself. Many Industry Savants And Publications Have Evaluated The "Astral Weeks" Album As Being Among The Greatest Popular Music Albums Of All Time If Not The Greatest. The Song "Beside You" Provides Much Support To That Proposition. An All Time Favourite For Many Including The Writer This Is An Exceptional Composition From A Uniquely Gifted Legendary Musician. GD