Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison, OBE (generally known as Van Morrison or Van… Read Full Bio ↴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.

Checkin
Van Morrison Lyrics

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We've got to put our heads together
I'm sure that we can work it out
I'm weighin' up the situation
And checkin' it out
Takin' it further
Takin' it further
Checkin' it out

This is a workin' situation
I'm tellin' you without a doubt
We've gotta pull it all in tight, baby
Checkin' it out
Takin' it further
Takin' it further
Checkin' it out

And all the obstacles along the way
Sometimes may feel so tremendous
There are guides and spirits all along the way
Who will befriend us

Let's talk it out across the table
Make sure that we leave nothin' out
Get into it like a meditation
Start checkin' it out
Takin' it further
Takin' it further
Checkin' it out

And all the obstacles along the way
Might be tremendous
There are guides and spirits all along the way
Who will befriend us

Let's talk it out across the table
Make sure that we leave nothin' out
Get into it love meditation
Start checkin' it out
Takin' it further
Takin' it further
Checkin' it out

Checkin' it out, now baby
Checkin' it out checkin' it out
You meditate, you meditate
You meditate

And you come back
You come back

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Van Morrison's song, "Checkin in 2-3", encourage collaboration and communication towards problem-solving. The opening line, "We've got to put our heads together," is an indication that the singer is ready to work with someone towards finding a solution. Additionally, the lyric, "I'm weighin' up the situation and checkin' it out" implies that the singer is taking the analyzing the situation at hand before proceeding.

The following lines, "Let's talk it out across the table, Make sure that we leave nothin' out," signal that the singer is interested in thorough communication to make sure that nothing is overlooked. The idea of " takin' it further," is a call to go beyond the point where most people would give up while in search of solutions.

The song acknowledges that obstacles are encountered along the way, but it also reassures listeners that they are not alone. The lyric, "There are guides and spirits all along the way who will befriend us" is a comforting message that a person can find help and support even while working towards an otherwise difficult goal.

Overall, the song encourages listeners to work through problems and challenges together, with positivity and a belief that there is always more progress that can be made as long as there is an active effort to search for a solution.

Line by Line Meaning

We've got to put our heads together
We need to collaborate and work together

I'm sure that we can work it out
I am confident that we can resolve our issues

I'm weighin' up the situation
I am analyzing and evaluating the situation

And checkin' it out
Doing further research and investigation

Takin' it further
Going into greater depth

Checkin' it out
Doing further research and investigation

This is a workin' situation
This is a practical and doable situation

I'm tellin' you without a doubt
I am absolutely confident in what I am saying

We've gotta pull it all in tight, baby
We need to gather everything together and make sure it is secure

And all the obstacles along the way
All the challenges that arise during the process

Sometimes may feel so tremendous
Can often seem so huge and difficult