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.

Help Me
Van Morrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You gotta help me
Can't do it all by myself
You gotta
Can't do it all by myself
You don't help me darlin'
Find someone else

When I walk, I walk with you

When I talk, I talk to you
Oh baby, can't do it all by myself
Don't help me darlin'
Find someone else

Bring me my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
Bring me my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
I don't feel tired
But I, sho' feel like lyin' down
Oh Lord, help me

When I walk, I walk with you
When I talk, I talk to you
Hear me talkin' to ya
Hear me talkin' to ya

Don't help me, find someone else

Bring me my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
Bring me my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
I don't feel tired
I just, feel like lyin' down

Bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me
Bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me
Bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me
Nightshirt

Put on your morning gown
I'm not tired, I just feel like lyin' down

Bring me my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
Well, bring me my nightshirt, ha
Put on your morning gown
I will always feel better
Feel like lyin' down

Oh yeah

Overall Meaning

The song Help Me by Van Morrison is about the search for love and companionship. The singer asks for help and acknowledges that they cannot do everything on their own. They need someone to assist them in their journey to find love. The repetition of the phrase “can’t do it all by myself” emphasizes the singer’s need for companionship. The line “Don’t help me darlin’/Find someone else” is contradictory, suggesting that they want the person they are speaking to both to help them but also to find someone else to be with. It could be interpreted as a plea for them to help the singer find love, but not necessarily to be in a romantic relationship with them.

The lyrics describe a longing for the person they are addressing. The refrain “When I walk, I walk with you/When I talk, I talk to you” reveals that the singer is thinking of this person constantly. They are hoping that this person will help them in their search for love. The lines “Bring me my nightshirt/Put on your morning gown” and “I don’t feel tired/I just, feel like lyin’ down” creates an atmosphere of coziness and relaxation. They evoke the feeling of two people who are comfortable with one another, suggesting that the singer wants to be in a comfortable and loving relationship.

Overall, the lyrics of Help Me by Van Morrison convey a message of a search for love and companionship, as well as a recognition that one cannot do everything alone.

Line by Line Meaning

You gotta help me
I can't manage on my own, I need your assistance

Can't do it all by myself
I lack the ability to do it all alone

You don't help me darlin'
If you don't help, I have to look for someone else to assist me

When I walk, I walk with you
You are always in my thoughts, even when I am walking

When I talk, I talk to you
You are the only one I confide in, I talk to you exclusively

Oh baby, can't do it all by myself
I need your support, I can't manage alone

Bring me my nightshirt
I need to get ready for bed

Put on your morning gown
You also need to prepare for bed

I don't feel tired
I am not sleepy

But I, sho' feel like lyin' down
I want to lie down and rest

Hear me talkin' to ya
I am speaking directly to you

Don't help me, find someone else
If you won't help, I have to look for another person's assistance

Bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me, bring-a-me
Repeatedly asking for specific items

Nightshirt
A shirt worn to bed

I'm not tired, I just feel like lyin' down
I don't have exhaustion, I simply want to relax now

Well, bring me my nightshirt, ha
Reinforcement of the earlier request

I will always feel better
I will always feel relaxed and comfortable when I am with you

Oh yeah
Expression of agreement or delight

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JONI MITCHELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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