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.
Cyprus Avenue
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up on Cyprus Avenue
Caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
And I'm conquered in a car seat
Not a thing that I can do
I may go crazy
I may go crazy
Before that mansion on the hill
But my heart keeps beating faster
And my feet can't keep still
And all the little girls rhyme something
On the way back home from school
And all the little girls rhyme something
On the way back home from school
And the leaves fall one by one
And call the autumn time a fool
Yeah, my t-tongue gets tied
Every, every, every time I try to speak
My tongue gets tied
Every time I try to speak
And my inside shakes just like a leaf on a tree
I think I'll go on by the river with my cherry, cherry wine
I believe I'll go walking by the railroad with my cherry, cherry wine
If I pass the rumbling station where the lonesome engine drivers pine
Wait a minute, yonder come my lady
Rainbow ribbons in her hair
Yonder come my lady
Rainbow ribbons in her hair
Six white horses and a carriage
She's returning from the fair
Baby, baby, baby
Well, I'm caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
Caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
And I'm conquered in a car seat
And I'm looking straight at you
Way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on
The avenue of trees
Keep walking down
In the wind and rain, darling
You keep walking down when the sun shone through the trees
Nobody, no, no, no, no, nobody stops me from loving you baby
So young and bold, fourteen-year old
Baby, baby, baby
The song “Cyprus Avenue” is one of the most enigmatic tracks in Van Morrison's catalog, appearing on his 1968 album “Astral Weeks.” The song is named after an affluent and stately street in Morrison’s hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and was likely inspired by his experiences growing up and observing the world around him. The track is propelled by a repetitive guitar riff and a fluid horn section, creating a hypnotic groove that perfectly captures the sense of bewilderment Morrison is trying to convey.
Throughout the song, Morrison describes feeling trapped (“conquered in a car seat”) as he is forced to navigate the confusing world around him. He ponders the possibility of madness and lets his mind wander as he imagines drinking cherry wine by the river or walking down the avenue with a loved one. He also notes that the seasons are changing (“the leaves fall one by one”) and observes the excitement of the girls on the way back from school. The final verse brings the song to a close, echoing the theme of being trapped on Cyprus Avenue, unable to escape.
Overall, “Cyprus Avenue” is a cryptic and mesmerizing song that perfectly captures the sense of disorientation that can come with growing up and observing the world around us. Its poetic lyrics and hypnotic groove make it a standout track in Van Morrison’s discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
Caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
The singer is once again on Cyprus Avenue and is unable to escape the feeling of being trapped or caught in a cycle.
And I'm conquered in a car seat
Not a thing that I can do
I may go crazy
Before that mansion on the hill
I may go crazy
Before that mansion on the hill
But my heart keeps beating faster
And my feet can't keep still
The singer is physically and mentally restrained in his seat, unable to change his situation. He is overwhelmed with the building anticipation of reaching a mansion on the hill, and the excitement is causing his heart rate to increase and his body to twitch with energy.
And all the little girls rhyme something
On the way back home from school
And all the little girls rhyme something
On the way back home from school
And the leaves fall one by one
And call the autumn time a fool
The girls are singing a song, but the exact lyrics are not specified. As they travel home, the leaves around them start to fall, which they mock as 'autumn time.'
Yeah, my t-tongue gets tied
Every, every, every time I try to speak
My tongue gets tied
Every time I try to speak
And my inside shakes just like a leaf on a tree
The singer struggles with communication and feels anxious speaking. His internal turmoil is compared to a leaf shaking excessively on a tree.
I think I'll go on by the river with my cherry, cherry wine
I believe I'll go walking by the railroad with my cherry, cherry wine
If I pass the rumbling station where the lonesome engine drivers pine
The singer imagines wandering around while drinking his cherry wine, pondering life. He also mentions the possibility of passing by a train station, where the drivers are likely experiencing loneliness and despair.
Wait a minute, yonder come my lady
Rainbow ribbons in her hair
Yonder come my lady
Rainbow ribbons in her hair
Six white horses and a carriage
She's returning from the fair
The singer spots his lady love with rainbow ribbons in her hair, returning from a fair. She is riding in a carriage pulled by six white horses.
Well, I'm caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
Caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue
And I'm conquered in a car seat
And I'm looking straight at you
The singer is caught and trapped once again on Cyprus Avenue, and he is looking directly at the listener, seemingly pleading for help.
Way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on, way up on
The avenue of trees
Keep walking down
In the wind and rain, darling
You keep walking down when the sun shone through the trees
The singer describes the avenue of trees and encourages the listener to keep walking down the avenue, even in inclement weather, to eventually experience the beauty of the sun shining through the trees.
Nobody, no, no, no, no, nobody stops me from loving you baby
So young and bold, fourteen-year old
Baby, baby, baby
The singer proclaims his love for the listener and asserts that nothing can stop him from loving them, despite their potential young age (fourteen years old).
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Dickens
I have been listening to this album for about 50years and I still rate it as one the best albums of all time
james bradshaw
I refuse to disagree with you
lladnar kram
Me too.
R A Mason
The fair Lady Corinne led me to this path. Bless her.
Carl Bitney
my intro to Morrison (apart from the hits on radio)
was in California one night in late 1970s,
sittin next to an open window in a gentle rain,
someone working the night shift at a college radio station put Madame George on the air & Morrison has never made a better album than Astral Weeks
LARRY HUDSPETH
@Carl Bitney Its not well appreciated even by Vans fans. ..but I agree with you. There's a magic in this album that his others dont have. The fact that it was mostly improvised by the N.Y. jazz musicians he hired...he didnt give them any charts ..none..and according to them..they barely even spoke. Bass lines on this are friggin stunning.. and improvised. It was all improvised, yet sounds polished. This album triggers some good memories for me too. Friggin 3 shord genius!
Bolt7
Best album ever even though I’m a Bob Dylan fan but astral weeks just has something that’s timeless
Richard Lees
The spiritual power this album brings me is almost immeasurable after all these years. So young and bold!
JazzAndRockNRoll
I swear this masterpiece could melt the heart of a monster.
Lucas
Well, it melted mine...