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.
10
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won
As we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
And when that fog horn blows
I will be coming home
And when the fog horn blows
I want to hear it, I don't have to fear it
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic
When that fog horn blows
You know I will be coming home
And when that fog horn whistle blows
I got to hear it, I don't have to fear it
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And together we will flow into the mystic
Come on girl
Too late to stop now
Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" is a contemplative, soulful song that speaks to the idea of being born before the current world and sailing away into something bigger. The first verse establishes the singer's place in the world as someone who has been around a long time, before wind and before sun. The opening lines speak to a time before civilization as we know it, before there were boats to win, before the world was conquered by mankind. The singer describes sailing "into the mystic" to capture the sense of wonder, mystery, and awe they feel as they move towards something unknown.
In the second verse, the sailors' cry helps to ground the listener in the present moment. The mention of the sea and sky remind us of the vastness of the world and our place in it. The idea of the soul and spirit flying into the mystic is a hopeful one, suggesting that there is something divine and uplifting waiting for us in the unknown.
The final verse is a call to action for the listener. When the foghorn blows, the singer asserts they will be coming home. The repetition of the chorus speaks to the idea of returning to a place of comfort and familiarity. The notion of rocking one's gypsy soul takes the listener back to an earlier time, suggesting that old ideas and roots are still present in the here and now. The final line, "Too late to stop now," is an emphatic assertion that the journey must continue, that we cannot stop or turn back once we have started.
Overall, "Into the Mystic" is a beautiful meditation on the mysteries of the world and the power of the human spirit. It invites the listener to contemplate the meaning of their own existence and to consider the possibilities of something greater.
Line by Line Meaning
We were born before the wind
We were born before the hardships and obstacles in life
Also younger than the sun
But we are still young and lively
Ere the bonnie boat was won
Before having any possessions or achievements in life
As we sailed into the mystic
As we venture into the unknown, spiritual world
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Listen to the sailors calling out
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Take in the natural elements and be in the moment
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
Allow yourself to be free and connect with the spiritual world
And when that fog horn blows
When the warning of danger sounds
I will be coming home
I will always find my way back to where I belong
And when the fog horn blows
When the warning of danger sounds again
I want to hear it, I don't have to fear it
I am not afraid of danger because I know I will make it back home
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
I want to inspire and awaken the free-spirited nature within you
Just like way back in the days of old
Like in the past, when people were more in touch with their free-spirited nature
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic
We will beautifully and naturally connect with the spiritual world
When that fog horn blows
Once again, when the warning of danger sounds
You know I will be coming home
You know I will always make it back to you
And when that fog horn whistle blows
Again, when the warning of danger sounds
I got to hear it, I don't have to fear it
I need to hear it to know I am on the right track and not be afraid
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
I want to inspire and awaken the free-spirited nature within you
Just like way back in the days of old
Like in the past, when people were more in touch with their free-spirited nature
And together we will flow into the mystic
We will naturally and beautifully connect with the spiritual world together
Come on girl
Let's do this together
Too late to stop now
It is too late to turn back now, let's keep going
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@deepaklaishramte7931
When it's not always raining there'll be days like this
When there's no one complaining there'll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this
When you don't need to worry there'll be days like this
When no one's in a hurry there'll be days like this
When you don't get betrayed by that old Judas kiss
Oh my mama told me there'll be days like this
When you don't need an answer there'll be days like this
When you don't meet a chancer there'll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit it
Then I must remember there'll be days like this
There'll be days like this
When everyone is up front and they're not playing tricks
When you don't have no freeloaders out to get their kicks
When it's nobody's business the way that you want to live
I just have to remember there'll be days like this
When no one steps on my dreams there'll be days like this
When people understand what I mean there'll be days like this
When you ring out the changes of how everything is
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There'll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There'll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There'll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There'll be days like this
@troylobatos7078
I just got major chest surgery I am 18yrs young and I just found this song 😅 I was in the surgery room getting anesthesia and one of the surgeons asked me who my favorite artists is and I replied Jim Morrison but I guess he thought he heard me say van Morrison so to comfort my nerves he just played this song on his cellphone and placed it next to my ear and it was one of the best songs I heard sometimes life hits you unexpectedly and that’s when you gotta just roll with the punches and have faith in gods plan I woke up today not knowing this song, yet I now am laying in bed recovering listening to it ❤ god is good and god bless these surgeons 😁
@michellegoldstein592
God bless you. I hope you're recovering, and day by day, you're getting stronger. All the best to you.
@InTheEndOnlykindnessMatters
I hope that you are doing well .
@ginagardner1620
Prayers that your recovery is quick! God bless you. Major chest surgery myself. Double mastectomy but I am 53. Prayers for you!
@anuncolonizedmind6296
That was nice of them, I hope you are doing fantastically well now!
@Yadyinforit
Amen✝️
@newacct10
I discovered Van Morrison while struggling through grief and depression. I heard "Bright Side Of The Road" and I was drawn. Life saver, this man Morrison.
@loribryant1449
I'm listening now too missing my ex
@cbussery
Heard that song on the "Michael" sound track and have been a fan ever since.
@TheresaMarlowe-hw9xq
It's 2/12/24 and I think I discovered while listening to Ernie's Record Mart. Wow