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.
Blues in the Night
Van Morrison Lyrics
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When I was a little
My mama done told me, son
A woman will sweet talk
And give you the big eye
But when that sweet talk is done
A woman's a two faced
A woman's something that would leave you singing the blues in the night
Now the rain is falling
Heaven can hear you calling
Doo wee
Heaven blows the lonesome whistle
Blowing across the threshold
Doo wee
Doo wee ta too tee
A crickety crack go wickety wack the blues in the night
Evening breeze will start
Trees that crying in the
All in the world wood haunted slide
When you get the blues in the night
So take my word
Or the mocking bird
Will sing a sadder kind of song
Maybe he knows things
He knows things can go wrong
A match is a maybe
Love is the same job
Whenever the four winds blow
I've been to some big town
Had me some big town
But there is one thing I know
A woman's a two faced
A woman's something that would leave you singing the blues in the night
Blues in the night
The song "Blues in the Night" by Van Morrison contains two key themes; the warning against trusting women, and the emotional and physical effects of the blues. Morrison's mother warned him about the duplicity of women when he was young, and the lyrics reflect the lesson his mother taught him. The phrases "sweet talk" and "big eye" refer to women's attempts to lure men in only to deceive them. The lyrics continue with the warning that when a woman is finished with the sweet talk, she will show her true face, and that face will leave men with the blues in the night. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the idea that the warning should be taken seriously.
The second theme of "Blues in the Night" explores the emotional turmoil and despair that can accompany the blues. The song paints a vivid picture of a lonely night filled with rain, the sound of the wind, and crying trees that heighten the sense of isolation. The lyrics suggest that even though Morrison has been to big cities and experienced a great many things, he knows that a woman’s duplicitous nature is central to leaving someone singing the blues. The final words of the song repeat the central theme, which serves as an appropriate conclusion to the cautionary tale.
Line by Line Meaning
My mama done tol' me
My mother told me
When I was a little
When I was young
My mama done told me, son
My mother told me, my son
A woman will sweet talk
A woman will speak kindly to you
And give you the big eye
And give you a seductive look
But when that sweet talk is done
But when that kind language ends
A woman's a two faced
A woman is deceitful
A woman's something that would leave you singing the blues in the night
A woman is something that would make you feel sad and lonely at night
Now the rain is falling
Now it is raining
Heaven can hear you calling
God can hear you calling
Doo wee
Heaven blows the lonesome whistle
God sends a sad sound through the air
Blowing across the threshold
Blowing through the doorway
Doo wee
Doo wee ta too tee
A crickety crack go wickety wack the blues in the night
A loud sound of loneliness adds to the sadness
Evening breeze will start
The breeze will start in the evening
Trees that crying in the
Trees that cry
All in the world wood haunted slide
All in the world, a sad and lonely feeling will overcome you
When you get the blues in the night
When you feel sad and lonely at night
So take my word
So believe me
Or the mocking bird
Or the bird that makes fun of you
Will sing a sadder kind of song
Will sing a song that is even more melancholy
Maybe he knows things
Perhaps he understands things
He knows things can go wrong
He knows that things can get worse
A match is a maybe
A relationship may or may not work out
Love is the same job
Love is a risky endeavor
Whenever the four winds blow
Whenever things change
I've been to some big town
I have been to some large cities
Had me some big town
I have experienced the lifestyle of large cities
But there is one thing I know
But there is one thing I am sure of
A woman's a two faced
A woman is untrustworthy
A woman's something that would leave you singing the blues in the night
A woman is something that would make you feel sad and lonely at night
Blues in the night
A feeling of sadness and loneliness at night
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind