It's a 3/4 ballad that name checks Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe and Henry David Thoreau.According to Morrison, the song derived "from what was running through my head" and it marked a return to the stream of consciousness channeled song-writing that had not been evident since several of the songs contained in his 1972 album, Saint Dominic's Preview.
Fair play
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Killarney's lakes are so blue
And the architecture I'm taking in with my mind
So fine
Tell me of Poe
Oscar Wilde and Thoreau
Let your midnight and your daytime turn into love of life
But you've got the mind child
To carry on
When it's just about to be
Carried on
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
There's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
A paperback book
As we walk down the street
Fill my mind with tales of mystery, mystery
And imagination
Forever fair
And I'm touching your hair
I wish we could be dreamers
In this dream, oh
Let it dream
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
Fair play to you
Killarney's lakes are so blue
High-ho silver, tit for tat
And I love you for that
High-ho silver, tit for tat
And I love you for that, love you for that, love you for that
High-ho silver, tit for tat, tit for tat
And I love you for that
High-ho silver, tit for tat, hah!
Yeah, yeah
And I love you for that
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And I, and I say "Geronimo"
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And we say "Geronimo"
Geronimo
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And we say Geronimo
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And we say Geronimo
Fair play to you
In Van Morrison's song "Fair Play," he opens with the lyrics "Fair play to you, Killarney's lakes are so blue, and the architecture I'm taking in with my mind, so fine." He is admiring the breathtaking beauty of Killarney's lakes and the impressive architecture, so much so that he is committing it to his memory. Next, he asks his companion to tell him about Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, and Henry David Thoreau, wishing to gain knowledge and understanding from their works. He speaks of the fine line between embracing life and letting it carry on without us, but with his mind child, he has the capability to carry on.
The metaphorical meaning behind "And there's only one meadow's way to go, and you say 'Geronimo'" is to take a leap of faith and to trust in life's journey, no matter what may happen. The verse where Morrison mentions the paperback book fills his mind with tales of mystery and imagination is him expressing his love for literature and the power of storytelling. He then dreams of being dreamers with his companion and how wonderful it would be to live in this dream world. Finally, he ends the song by repeating the line "High-ho silver, tit for tat, and I love you for that," expressing appreciation for his companion.
Line by Line Meaning
Fair play to you
I commend you for your actions and attitude
Killarney's lakes are so blue
The natural beauty of Killarney's lakes is breathtaking
And the architecture I'm taking in with my mind
I am appreciating and absorbing the beauty of the architecture around me
So fine
It is exquisite
Tell me of Poe
Share with me your knowledge of Poe's work
Oscar Wilde and Thoreau
And please tell me about the works of Oscar Wilde and Thoreau, as well
Let your midnight and your daytime turn into love of life
Embrace life both day and night, and let this love of life be your guide
It's a very fine line
The difference between happiness and despair can be extremely narrow
But you've got the mind child
But your mind is strong enough to overcome obstacles
To carry on
To continue moving forward
When it's just about to be
When it seems like everything is about to fall apart
Carried on
Keep going anyway
And there's only one meadow's way to go
There is only one path forward
And you say "Geronimo"
Embrace the journey and take a leap of faith
A paperback book
A simple paperback book
As we walk down the street
As we stroll along the street
Fill my mind with tales of mystery, mystery
The stories in the book capture my imagination and fill my mind with mystery
And imagination
And sparks my imagination
Forever fair
Always beautiful
And I'm touching your hair
I am close to you and feeling intimate
I wish we could be dreamers
I wish we could live in a world where we are free to dream and follow our passions
In this dream, oh
This perfect world that we wish to inhabit
Let it dream
Let us embrace this idea and let our dreams guide us
High-ho silver, tit for tat
An expression of excitement and camaraderie
And I love you for that
I love you for your energy and spirit
And we say "Geronimo"
Together, we take a leap of faith and embrace the unknown
Geronimo
An expression of excitement and adventure
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dumbleboy5213
Fair play to you
Killarney's lakes are so blue
And the architecture I'm taking in with my mind
So fine...
Tell me of Poe
Oscar Wilde and Thoreau
Let your midnight and your daytime turn into love of life
It's a very fine line
But you've got the mind child
To carry on
When it's just about to be
Carried on...
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
There's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
A paperback book
As we walk down the street
Fill my mind with tales of mystery, mystery...
And imagination
Forever fair
And I'm touching your hair
I wish we could be dreamers
In this dream, ohhh
Let it dream
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And you say "Geronimo"
Fair play to you
Killarney's lakes are so blue
High-ho silver, tit for tat
And I love you for that
High-ho silver, tit for tat
And I love you for that, love you for that, love you for that
High-ho silver, tit for tat, tit for tat
And I love you for that
High-ho silver, tit for tat, hah!
Yeah, yeah
And I love you for that
And theres only one meadow's way to go
And I, and I say "Geronimo"
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And we say "Geronimo"
Geronimo
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And we say Geronimo
And there's only one meadow's way to go
And we say Geronimo
Fair play to you..
@gavinbolton-ou6tv
I heard this song in a bar in Thailand for the first time, I recognised Van’s voice but had never heard this song before, suddenly a whole new world of Van’s music was opened to me.
@tombham85
This soundtracked many a Sunday afternoon in rainy Scotland whilst I played lego and my dad put on this album, did his crossword and lit the fire. I never realised until my early 20's what an incredible album this is, it sounds like home, the soul of goodness and pure love for reflecting. Such a deeply personal album for Van but also for me too - I hear this now and see my lovely dad, sat in his chair and happy. What a bloke on both accounts.
@cameronmckenzie3623
+Tom Belte What a lovely memory :) Fair play to you.
@Ldale11
+Tom Belte Good on ya, Tom. I'm right there with you on that.
@SkillBuilder
Your dad knew what he was doing, drip feeding this into your brain. A gift for you and a great memory.
@ocan1033
well put
@torreyjeff
Yes It is Tom, "and I love you for that."
@wietewuiten
next month, I'll be lucky to can admire my favourite singer/writer in Antwerp. he's nearly 80, I'm nearly 70. Started as young guy in love in 1970, and then, with Astral weeks on my side...
@jacquezyon
I was in a small indie record store on Ponce De Leon in Decatur, Georgia, and this album came on. Old creaky hardwood floors, old 60s and 70s posters taped on all the walls, and the smell of vinyl—I distinctly remember hearing Fair Play as I thumbed through the old albums. I was hypnotized. I had no Idea who it was...the only Van Morrison song I knew at the time was Brown Eyed Girl. I stayed and listened to the whole album, and then promptly purchased it. Been a VM fan ever since—listened to many of his albums, but this one is still my favorite by far.
@lupcokotevski2907
I think you would appreciate the Bronx child prodigy and genius Laura Nyro. Her 'Crazy Love' (1978) (not the Van song of the same title) is impossibly beautiful, just vocal and piano. Nyro is Rock Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, seismically influential. Her cover of 'Gonna Take a Miracle' (1971) with LaBelle is a mind blower. Nyro also wrote the iconic 'Wedding Bell Blues' (1966) and 'And When I Die' (1967) in her mid-teens.