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 Will Be There
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whenever my thoughts turn to you
Whatever you want me to do
I will be there
Whether I crawl uphill
Try to not be through the mill
Just as long as I fit the bill
If it's on a lazy afternoon in summertime
And you're drinking champagne and wine
Anytime, I don't mind
And even if I've got the blues
Yeah after I pay all my dues
You decide to go for a cruise
I will be there
And if it's on a lazy afternoon in summertime
And you're drinking champagne and wine
Anytime, I don't mind
And even if I've got the blues
I'm tired of paying oh so many dues
And you decide to go for a cruise
Going to grab my razor and my suitcase
And my toothbrush and my overcoat
And my underwear
I will be there
The song "I Will Be There" by Van Morrison is a heartfelt promise of devotion to a loved one. The first verse begins with the singer acknowledging the effect that his loved one has on him whenever the sunshine comes through and whenever his thoughts turn to her. He goes on to promise that he will do whatever she wants him to do and will always be there for her.
The second verse speaks of the sacrifices that the singer is willing to make for his love. He talks about crawling uphill and trying to avoid being through the mill, which could be interpreted as struggling through difficult times in order to support his loved one. He promises to always fit the bill and be there for her no matter what.
The chorus repeats the sentiment that the singer will always be there for his love, even if it means dropping everything to join her on a cruise or a lazy afternoon of drinking champagne and wine. The final verse emphasizes this promise, as the singer lists all of the items he would grab in a hurry to join his love.
Overall, the song is a beautiful expression of unconditional love and devotion, with the lyrics promising to always be there for the person you love, no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
Whenever the sunshine comes through
Whenever things start looking bright and promising
Whenever my thoughts turn to you
Whenever you're on my mind
Whatever you want me to do
I'm at your beck and call, and I'm happy to oblige
I will be there
No matter what, you can count on me to be there for you
Whether I crawl uphill
Even if I have to struggle and make an effort to be there for you
Try to not be through the mill
I'll do my best to avoid getting worn out or exhausted
Just as long as I fit the bill
As long as I'm able to meet your expectations
If it's on a lazy afternoon in summertime
Even if it's a lazy summer afternoon when there's nothing else going on
And you're drinking champagne and wine
And you're enjoying the good things in life
Anytime, I don't mind
I'm available and willing to come at any time, no matter what else is going on in my life
And even if I've got the blues
Even if I'm feeling down or sad about something
Yeah after I pay all my dues
Once I've taken care of all my responsibilities and obligations
You decide to go for a cruise
If you suddenly decide to take a trip or do something unexpected
I will be there
I'll be ready to drop everything and join you, no matter what it takes
Going to grab my razor and my suitcase
I'll get myself ready to go
And my toothbrush and my overcoat
I'll pack everything I need to be comfortable and prepared
And my underwear
Even the little things like my underwear won't be overlooked or forgotten
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Van Morrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind