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.
7 Cleaning Windows
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got in my nose
As we carried our ladders down the street
With the wrought iron gate rows
I went home and listened to Jimmie Rodgers in my lunch break
Bought five Woodbines at the shop on the corner
And went straight back to work
And I was on the bottom with the V
We went for lemonade and Paris buns
At the shop and broke for tea
I collected from the lady
And I cleaned the fanlight inside out
I was blowing saxophone on the weekend
In that down joint
What's my line
I'm happy cleaning windows
Take my time
I'll see you when my love grows
Baby don't let it slide
I'm a working man in my prime
Cleaning windows (number a hundred and thirty six)
I heard Leadbelly and Blind Lemon
On the street where I was born
Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee
Muddy Waters singin' I'm a rolling stone
I went home and read my Christmas Humphreys' book on Zen
Curiosity killed the cat
Kerouac's Dharma Bums and On The Road
What's my line
I'm happy cleaning windows
Take my time
I'll see you when my love grows
Baby don't let it slide
I'm a working man in my prime
Cleaning windows
What's my line
I'm happy cleaning windows
Take my time
I'll see you when my love grows
Don't let it slide
I'm a working man in my prime
Cleaning windows
"Cleaning Windows" is a nostalgic and deeply personal song, in which Van Morrison reflects on his life as a young window cleaner in Belfast. The song is a vivid portrayal of the sights, smells, and sounds that accompanied him during his working day. The opening lines describe the smell of a nearby bakery that permeated the air as Morrison and his colleagues carried their ladders down the street. Later, he fondly remembers purchasing Woodbines, a popular brand of cigarette in the UK at the time, from the corner shop during his lunch break, and listening to Jimmie Rodgers on his way back to work.
The song is also a celebration of the music that inspired Morrison during his formative years. He references a number of iconic blues musicians, such as Leadbelly, Blind Lemon, and Muddy Waters, whose records he would have heard playing in the record shops and jukeboxes around Belfast. Morrison's love of music is further highlighted by his mention of two books: Christmas Humphrey's "Zen Buddhism", which suggests a spiritual curiosity, and Jack Kerouac's "Dharma Bums" and "On the Road", which reflects Morrison's interest in the beat literature and culture of the period.
At its core, "Cleaning Windows" is an ode to the simple pleasures of life, and the joy that can be found in hard work. The song's chorus, in particular, is a celebration of Morrison's contentment with his position in life, and his pride in doing his job well. As he sings, "What's my line? I'm happy cleaning windows. Take my time, I'll see you when my love grows." In this way, the song captures the spirit of a young man coming into his own, discovering his passions, and finding happiness in the everyday routines and rituals of working-class life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the smell of the bakery from across the street
Got in my nose
As we carried our ladders down the street
With the wrought iron gate rows
Walking through the street, I smelled the beautiful aroma of freshly baked bread coming from the bakery across the street. We carried our ladders down the street and passed rows of beautiful wrought iron gates.
I went home and listened to Jimmie Rodgers in my lunch break
Bought five Woodbines at the shop on the corner
And went straight back to work
During my lunch break, I went home to listen to the music of Jimmie Rodgers. Then, I bought five Woodbine cigarettes from the corner shop and immediately returned to work.
Oh, Sam was up on top
And I was on the bottom with the V
We went for lemonade and Paris buns
At the shop and broke for tea
I collected from the lady
And I cleaned the fanlight inside out
I was blowing saxophone on the weekend
In that down joint
Sam was on the top of the ladder, and I was on the bottom with the V. We went to a shop and had lemonade and Paris buns, and then we took a break for tea. I collected payment from a lady and cleaned the fanlight from the inside out. On weekends, I played the saxophone in a local jazz club.
What's my line
I'm happy cleaning windows
Take my time
I'll see you when my love grows
Baby don't let it slide
I'm a working man in my prime
Cleaning windows (number a hundred and thirty six)
My job is to clean windows, and I am content with this simple task. I take my time and will meet up with my love when the time is right. But for now, I am a working man in my prime, and I take pride in cleaning windows, including the one hundred and thirty-sixth window on my list.
I heard Leadbelly and Blind Lemon
On the street where I was born
Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee
Muddy Waters singin' I'm a rolling stone
I went home and read my Christmas Humphreys' book on Zen
Curiosity killed the cat
Kerouac's Dharma Bums and On The Road
While I was walking on the street where I grew up, I heard the music of Leadbelly, Blind Lemon, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Muddy Waters. At home, I read a Christmas Humphreys' book on Zen and also explored the books of Kerouac, knowing that curiosity killed the cat.
What's my line
I'm happy cleaning windows
Take my time
I'll see you when my love grows
Baby don't let it slide
I'm a working man in my prime
Cleaning windows
Once again, my line of work is cleaning windows, and I am happy doing this. I will take my time and meet up with my love at the right moment. And as a hardworking man in my prime, I take pride in cleaning windows.
Lyrics Š BMG Rights Management
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheCatsReflection-me
my father requested that this song be played at his funeral. it hurt to listen to it for a while but recently it's gotten to a point where it makes me very happy to hear it and think of my father.
@markmolica
I like that idea. I'll let my wife and daughter know that's the song if I'm the first to fall asleep. Cleaning windows a little shy a fifty years now
@christophercampbell1677
God bless you and your family cheers đť from cleveland đ
@mindsigh4
saludđfrom California
@neilmarshall3071
Beautiful â¤
@dirkevans3443
Your Old Man had good taste. Must of been a cool dude
@themastersqueegee
Been cleaning windows for a few years now and i just discovered this song. Buisness is booming and i couldnt be happier. This is great.
@MsEldee
Wow he is the only singer and musician who can sing a song about cleaning windows and it's brilliant. Thats why I love Van he sings songs about ordinary people.
@j.johnson2792
Dude could literally sing the phone book and it would be a masterpiece
@silversnail1413
For all my fellow working class heroes out there, I salute you.