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.

Crazy Face
Van Morrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the people were waiting for crazy face
He said he'd meet them at his favorite place
Dressed in black stain, white linen and lace
With his head held high and a smile on his face

He said
Ladies and gentlemen, the prince is late
As he stood outside the church-yard gate

And polished up on his thirty eighty and said
I got it from Jesse James

All the people were waiting for crazy Face
He said he'd meet them at his favorite place
Dresses in black stain, white linen and lace
With his head held high and a smile on his face

And he said
Ladies and gentlemen, the prince is late
As he stood outside the church-yard gate

And polished up on his thirty eighty and said
I got it from Jesse James

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Van Morrison's song Crazy Face combine elements of folk, blues, and rock to create a character portrait of a flamboyant individual who is the center of attention wherever he goes. The opening line, "All the people were waiting for crazy face," sets the tone as a crowd gathers to witness the arrival of this mysterious figure. Dressed in black with white linen and lace, he exudes confidence and charisma, with a smile on his face and head held high. He addresses the audience as "ladies and gentlemen" and announces that the prince is late, playing up his own importance as he polishes his thirty-eighty firearm.

The repeated lines of the chorus reinforce the central image of this striking figure, with the black stain, white linen, and lace suggesting a mix of elegance and rebellion. The song plays with themes of power, identity, and showmanship, as Crazy Face presents himself as a larger-than-life character who commands attention through his words and gestures. The reference to Jesse James, the notorious outlaw, further emphasizes this sense of danger and lawlessness, tapping into the American mythos of the Western hero. The overall effect is a vivid portrayal of a figure who embodies both the wildness and sophistication of rock and roll.

Line by Line Meaning

All the people were waiting for crazy face
Everyone was eagerly waiting for Crazy Face to arrive.

He said he'd meet them at his favorite place
Crazy Face promised to meet everyone at his favorite spot.

Dressed in black stain, white linen and lace
Despite wearing unconventional clothes, Crazy Face looked confident and stylish.

With his head held high and a smile on his face
Crazy Face was proud and happy to be among the people.

He said Ladies and gentlemen, the prince is late
Crazy Face humorously referred to himself as the prince and acknowledged his tardiness.

As he stood outside the church-yard gate
Crazy Face was positioned outside the entrance to the churchyard.

And polished up on his thirty eighty and said
Crazy Face meticulously cleaned his gun and proclaimed its origin.

I got it from Jesse James
Crazy Face claimed to have acquired the gun from the infamous outlaw Jesse James.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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