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.
Glad Tidings
Van Morrison Lyrics
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And the lips that you kiss will say Christmas
And the miles that you traveled the distance
So believe no lies, dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
And the businessmen will shake hands and talk in numbers
Then all the knights will step forth with their arm bands
And every stranger you meet in the street will make demands
So believe no lies, then dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
Open up your eyes so you may see
Ask you not to read between the lines
Hope that you will come in right on time
And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
And expect them to rise for the occasion
Don't it gratify when you see it materialize
Right in front of your eyes
That surprise
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
Open up your eyes so you may see
Ask you not to read between the lines
Hope that you will come in right on time
And they'll lay you down low and easy
The lyrics to Van Morrison's song "Glad Tidings" are full of poetic language and metaphor. The verses are describing a time when people will be laid low and everything seems hopeless, but then there will be a surprise that will bring glad tidings. The first verse talks of being laid low in the "easy," which could be interpreted as being buried in the ground. The lips that you kiss will say Christmas, which could be interpreted as the kiss of death being the final gift to the dying person before they pass on to the next life. The miles that you traveled, the distance, may refer to the journey of life that has been completed. The chorus is encouraging the listener not to believe any lies, to dry their eyes, and realize that there is still hope for a surprise that will bring joy.
The second verse continues with the imagery of a wake-up call. The businessmen will shake hands and talk in numbers, which could represent the end of a business deal or the final tally of a life lived. The princess waking up from her slumber could represent the awakening of the soul to the next phase of existence. The knights stepping forth with their arm bands could symbolize the warriors of the afterlife coming to escort the newly departed to their next destination. The strangers in the street making demands might be the voice of judgement or the spirits of those who have gone before. Again, the chorus urges the listener to have hope for a surprise that will bring glad tidings.
The third verse is more positive, offering the hope of glad tidings from New York. The listener is encouraged to open their eyes and see, to not read between the lines, but to come in right on time. The next sentence tells of talking while in trances and visualizing not taking any chances. This could mean that the listener should be open to communication from the other side and be willing to take the next step without fear. Meeting them halfway with love, peace, and persuasion might mean that the listener should approach the situation with an open heart, willing to accept what is offered. The final sentence is full of hope, asking if it doesn't gratify when you see it materialize right in front of your eyes. This again refers to the surprise that will bring glad tidings.
Overall, the song seems to be a message of hope for those who are facing the end of life. The lyrics offer comfort in the form of symbolism and metaphor, encouraging the listener to have faith and expect a surprise that will bring joy.
Line by Line Meaning
And they'll lay you down low in the easy
And when you die, they will put you in the ground without any difficulty
And the lips that you kiss will say Christmas
And the people you love will always express happiness and joy when they are with you
And the miles that you traveled the distance
And the journeys and experiences you have had in your life will always be a part of you
So believe no lies, dry your eyes and realize
Therefore, don't trust anyone who wants to deceive you, wipe your tears, and understand
That surprise
That unexpected things can happen, so be ready for them
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
And the businessmen will shake hands and talk in numbers
Moreover, people with power and money will make agreements by just discussing statistics
And the princess will wake up from her slumber
And the women in power, who seem to be sleeping, will come to defend their rights
Then all the knights will step forth with their arm bands
At that moment, all the brave people will join together to fight for their cause
And every stranger you meet in the street will make demands
And every person you encounter, who you don't know, will have a request to make
So believe no lies, then dry your eyes and realize
Therefore, it's essential not to believe falsehood, and instead, understand the situation
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
We will send you good news from the city of New York
Open up your eyes so you may see
Be aware of what's happening around you
Ask you not to read between the lines
Don't try to find hidden meanings in what people say
Hope that you will come in right on time
Expect you to be on time and not be late
And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
People might communicate with you when you're not fully present
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
You'll imagine yourself, not willing to gamble on anything
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
Still, you should try to understand and compromise with them by being affectionate, peaceful, and convincing
And expect them to rise for the occasion
Assume that they will rise to the challenge, and act accordingly
Don't it gratify when you see it materialize
Isn't it satisfying when things happen as you had hoped for?
Right in front of your eyes
Right in front of you, present in reality
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
We will send you good news from the city of New York
Open up your eyes so you may see
Be aware of what's happening around you
Ask you not to read between the lines
Don't try to find hidden meanings in what people say
Hope that you will come in right on time
Expect you to be on time and not be late
And they'll lay you down low and easy
And when you die, they will put you in the ground without any difficulty
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind