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.

I'll be there
Van Morrison Lyrics

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Each time I hold somebody new
My arms go cold thinking of you
No one can take your place, darling, in my embrace
I'll never be free.

And when my lips burn with desire
No other kiss can put out the fire
Though I may try and try, no one can satisfy

This longing in me.

[Chorus]
I'll never be free from your smile so tender
The sweet surrender in your eyes
I cannot be free when I remember
How you fill me with desire.
Just like a train tracks through my heart
Your love remains while we're apart
That kiss I gave to you
Made me a slave to you
I'll never be free.

[Chorus]

That kiss I gave to you

Made me a slave to you
I'll never be free.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I'll Be There" by Van Morrison showcase the depth of heartbreak and longing that the singer feels for someone who is no longer with them. The opening two lines of the song are particularly poignant - "Each time I hold somebody new, my arms go cold thinking of you." These lines indicate how, even though the singer is trying to move on and find new love, they cannot help but be reminded of the person they have lost.

The chorus of the song continues this theme of being unable to let go of the one they love, with the lines "I'll never be free from your smile so tender, the sweet surrender in your eyes. I cannot be free when I remember how you fill me with desire." These lyrics suggest that the love the singer feels for their lost love is all-consuming, and even though they try to move on, they cannot escape the memories of what they once had.

The final verse of the song brings the theme of love and longing full circle, with the line "That kiss I gave to you made me a slave to you, I'll never be free." This line suggests that not only is the singer unable to let go of their lost love, but that they are in some ways trapped by the memory of that love. Overall, the lyrics of "I'll Be There" paint a powerful picture of heartbreak and longing, and showcase the depth of feeling that love can inspire within us.

Line by Line Meaning

Each time I hold somebody new
Whenever I embrace someone else

My arms go cold thinking of you
I feel a chill and distant when I recall you

No one can take your place, darling, in my embrace
I can't find a replacement for you when I hold someone new

I'll never be free.
I'm stuck and can't move on

And when my lips burn with desire
When I yearn for intimacy

No other kiss can put out the fire
No one else's kiss can calm my desire

Though I may try and try, no one can satisfy
Even if I attempt to find satisfaction, no one can provide it

This longing in me.
This desire and yearning inside of me

I cannot be free when I remember
I can't let go when I recall

How you fill me with desire.
How you make me yearn for you

Just like a train tracks through my heart
Like a train that leaves a lasting impression

Your love remains while we're apart
The love we share lingers even when we're not together

That kiss I gave to you
The kiss I bestowed upon you

Made me a slave to you
It made me feel like I'm under your control

I'll never be free.
I'll always be captive and unable to move on

I'll never be free from your smile so tender
I'll always be trapped by your warm and affectionate smile

The sweet surrender in your eyes
The surrender I feel when I look into your eyes

How you fill me with desire.
How you make me yearn for you

That kiss I gave to you
The kiss I bestowed upon you

Made me a slave to you
It made me feel like I'm under your control

I'll never be free.
I'll always be captive and unable to move on

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Bennie Benjamin, George David Weiss

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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