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.
Bein' Green
Van Morrison Lyrics
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Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer bein' red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
It's not easy bein' green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over
On the water or stars in the sky
But green is the color of spring
And green can be cool and friendly like
And green can be big like an ocean
Or important like a mountain or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But why wonder, why wonder?
I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be
Van Morrison's song "Bein' Green" is an introspective reflection on self-acceptance and coming to terms with one's individuality. The song uses the color green as a metaphor for a person's unique qualities and attributes. The lyrics express the struggle of feeling overlooked and ordinary, and the desire to be more noticeable and impressive. However, the song ultimately finds the beauty and value in being oneself, even if it means not standing out in a crowd.
The first verse sets up the dilemma of the song's protagonist. Being green, or unique and different, is not always easy, and it can be tempting to want to be like others who have qualities that seem more impressive or desirable, represented by the colors red, yellow, and gold. The second verse acknowledges the struggle of feeling ordinary and overlooked, compared to those who stand out like flashy sparkles or stars in the sky. The chorus pivots to a more positive outlook, highlighting the unique qualities of the color green, which can be friendly, big, oceanic, mountainous, or towering. The final verse reinforces the idea that green, or individuality, is beautiful and enriches life, even if it may not always draw the most attention.
Overall, "Bein' Green" is a poignant and relatable song about the struggle to embrace one's own individuality and find self-confidence.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not easy bein' green
Being green is tough
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
Living life with the same old boring color is disheartening
When I think it could be nicer bein' red or yellow or gold
Being colorful and standing out could be more appealing
Or something much more colorful like that
Being something other than green could be fascinating
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
Being ordinary and not standing out is boring
And people tend to pass you over
People ignore you because they don't find you interesting
Cause you're not standing out like flashy sparkles
You're not glitzy and glittery like sparkles
On the water or stars in the sky
Or glistening like stars in the sky or sunlight on water
But green is the color of spring
Green represents the season of spring
And green can be cool and friendly like
Green can be chill and friendly
And green can be big like an ocean
Green can be vast like an ocean
Or important like a mountain or tall like a tree
Green can also represent significant things like mountains and tall trees
When green is all there is to be
When green is all you have
It could make you wonder why
You might question why green is your only choice
But why wonder, why wonder?
But why bother questioning it?
I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
I am content with being green because it's just as beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be
Being green is what I choose to be
Lyrics © THE JOE RAPOSO MUSIC GROUP INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joseph G. Raposo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind