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.

Come Running
Van Morrison Lyrics

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By the side of the tracks where the train goes by
The wind and the rain will catch you, you will sigh
Deep in your heart
Then you'll come a-running to me, mmm
You'll come a-running to me, yeah-yeah
Well, you watch the train go 'round the bend
Play in dust and dream that it will never end
Deep in your heart

But you'll come a-running to me, yeah
You'll come a-running to me, all right
Said, hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Yeah-yeah, come a-running to me
Said, hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Hey, yeah, come a-running to me
With your hound dog by your side
And your arms stretched out open wide
I want to keep you satisfied in the morning sun
By my side, come on, come on run, all right, hey, hey
In the country
Kicking sand up with your heels
Think to yourself how good it feels
Throw away all your walking shoes
Then you come running to me
Hey, hey, now you come running to me
I said, hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Hey, yeah, come a-running to me
Hey, come a-running to me
Oh, come a-running to me
Hey, yeah, come a-running to me
Come on, come on, run (hey, come a-running to me)
Wanna run, come on, run (oh, come a-running to me)

Come on run, come on, come on, run to me (hey, come a-running to me)
You gotta rainbow if you run to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Van Morrison's "Come Running" paint a vivid picture of a place where a train passes by, where the wind and rain may catch you, and where one can dream that life will never end. The singer encourages someone to come running to him, not just physically, but also emotionally. He wants to keep the person satisfied and happy in the morning sun, with their hound dog by their side and arms stretched out wide. The chorus repeats the invitation to come running to him, with the promise of a rainbow if they do.

It's clear that the song is about finding comfort in someone's embrace, coming to them for solace when life feels tough. The train passing by and the weather provide a contrast to the safety and security of being with the person the singer is addressing. The line "throw away all your walking shoes" suggests that the person should abandon their worries and anxieties and just come running to the singer.

Overall, "Come Running" is a gentle and tender song about seeking refuge and finding joy in someone else's company. Morrison's gravelly vocals and the folk-rock instrumentation create a warm and inviting atmosphere that perfectly matches the lyrics.

Come RunningVan Morrison Lyrics

Come Running
Van Morrison Lyrics