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.

Gloria/Shakin' All Over
Van Morrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The way you see me walking on
That's why I'm telling you in song
There's only one way to get ahead
You've got to give it up instead
Start all over again

You see me standing on the bridge
I see the sunset in my view

The field looks colorful to me
And I know there's more than I can see
We can start all over again

Made it through the winter time
Made it through the spring
Made it through the summer
And the fall

That's why I'm giving you the time
You always wanted your own mind
The way is up to you and me
And there's horizons yet to see to
Start all over again

Made it through the winter time
Made it through the spring
Made it through the summer
And the fall

That's why I'm giving you the time
You always wanted your own mind
The way is up to you and me
And there's horizons yet to see
When we start all over again
Over again
Start all over again
Start all over again
Start all over again
Start all over again
Start all over again
Start all over again
Start all over again

Start all over again
Again

Overall Meaning

The song "Start All Over Again" by Van Morrison is about overcoming challenges and starting fresh. The lyrics suggest a feeling of hope and optimism amongst adversity. The opening lines refer to the way the singer, Morrison, walks which could suggest a sense of determination or resilience. He proceeds to explain that in order to get ahead, one must be willing to give up and restart. This could refer to both personal or professional struggles, and the decision to make a fresh start rather than continuing to struggle in the same unfulfilling circumstances.

Morrison describes standing on a bridge and seeing the sunset as well as the beauty in the surrounding fields. This metaphor for a new beginning perhaps explains the possibility of a new perspective - a more hopeful outlook on life. As he repeats the phrase "start all over again" throughout the song, it can be interpreted as a call for renewal, a second chance to make things right.

The chorus echoes this idea of overcoming the four seasons and the year, of starting anew and having a new mindset. Morrison encourages the listener to make their own decisions in life and use their freedom of choice to create the kind of life they want. Ultimately, the song is filled with a sense of hope and possibility for a new and better future.

Line by Line Meaning

The way you see me walking on
The way you perceive my demeanor

That's why I'm telling you in song
That's why I'm expressing myself through music

There's only one way to get ahead
There's only one path to success

You've got to give it up instead
You must relinquish what's holding you back

Start all over again
Begin anew

You see me standing on the bridge
You observe me standing on the bridge

I see the sunset in my view
I perceive the sunset in my perspective

The field looks colourful to me
The field appears vibrant to me

And I know there's more than I can see
I'm aware that there's more than meets the eye

We can start all over again
We can commence anew

That's why I'm giving you the time
That's why I'm providing you with the opportunity