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.

Goldfish Bowl
Van Morrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What will it take for them to leave me alone
Don't they know I'm just a guy who sings songs
I'm not promoting no hit record
And I don't have no TV show
And I don't have no reason to live in a goldfish bowl

I'm just doing my gigs
And I'm on and off the road

Everything I say is not meant to be set in stone
Just because they call me a celebrity

That does not make it true
'Cause I don't believe in the myth people
So why should you?

Jazz Blues & Funk
That's not Rock & Roll
Folk with a beat
And a little bit of Soul
I don't have no hit record
I don't have no TV show
Tell me why should I have to live in this goldfish bowl?

Well there's parasites and psychic vampires
Feeding on the public at large
Projecting their shadow onto everyone else
Well the newspaper barons
Are the scum of the lowest degree
And they prey on everybody
They prey on you and me

I'm singing Jazz Blues & Funk
Baby that's not Rock & Roll
Folk with a beat
And a little bit of Soul
I don't have no hit record

I don't have no TV show
So why should I want to live in this goldfish bowl?

Overall Meaning

In Van Morrison's song Goldfish Bowl, he laments the pressures of fame and the intrusiveness of the media into his personal life. The opening lines express frustration at the constant attention he receives, despite not being a major mainstream artist with a hit record or TV show. The term "goldfish bowl" is used to describe the feeling of being trapped and observed by the public, much like a pet goldfish in its bowl.

The lyrics also touch on the idea of celebrity as a myth and the danger of believing in the projections placed upon public figures by the media and the public. Morrison asserts that just because someone is called a celebrity does not make them one, and he rejects the idea of being defined by this label. He asserts that everything he says should not be taken as absolute truth and he is simply sharing his thoughts and music through his gigs and performances.

The second verse of the song turns to criticism of the media and their behaviors. Morrison describes them as "parasites" and "psychic vampires" who prey on the public and project their negative traits and shadows onto public figures. He refers specifically to newspaper barons as the "scum of the lowest degree" who exploit and manipulate everyone for their own gain.

In conclusion, Goldfish Bowl is a commentary on fame and the negative aspects that come with it, such as the loss of privacy, media scrutiny and manipulation, and the imposition of external expectations. It's an honest and relatable expression of the desire to be able to just make music without being confined to a bubble.

Line by Line Meaning

What will it take for them to leave me alone
I am constantly bothered by people and I wish they would stop bothering me

Don't they know I'm just a guy who sings songs
I am not some important figure, just a musician

I'm not promoting no hit record
I am not trying to push any specific song

And I don't have no TV show
I do not have my own television program

And I don't have no reason to live in a goldfish bowl
Living a life where people observe and judge your every move is not something I desire

I'm just doing my gigs
My job consists of performing music in various locations

And I'm on and off the road
My job requires me to constantly travel and tour

Everything I say is not meant to be set in stone
I am not an authority figure and my words are not meant to be taken as truth

Just because they call me a celebrity
Being labeled as a celebrity does not define me as a person

That does not make it true
Just because someone is famous does not necessarily make them special or better than anyone else

'Cause I don't believe in the myth people
I do not subscribe to the idea of celebrity worship

So why should you?
Why should anyone believe in the myth of celebrity and treat me like something other than a regular person?

Jazz Blues & Funk
The type of music I play is a combination of jazz, blues, and funk styles

That's not Rock & Roll
My music differs from what is typically associated with the rock and roll genre

Folk with a beat
My music style also incorporates elements of folk music with rhythmic accompaniment

And a little bit of Soul
My music style also incorporates a bit of soul music influence

Tell me why should I have to live in this goldfish bowl?
I do not see why I should have to live a life where my every move is watched and judged by others

Well there's parasites and psychic vampires
There are people in the media who feed off the public and project their own negativity onto others

Feeding on the public at large
These people use the public for their own gain

Projecting their shadow onto everyone else
These people put their own negative qualities on others

Well the newspaper barons
The wealthy individuals who own newspapers

Are the scum of the lowest degree
The newspaper owners are terrible people

And they prey on everybody
They take advantage of everyone around them

They prey on you and me
They use both the singer and the listener alike for their own gain

So why should I want to live in this goldfish bowl?
Considering the negative people in the media, why would anyone want to live in the public eye?

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: VAN MORRISON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS