Into The Mystic
Van Morrison Lyrics
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Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won
As we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
And when that foghorn blows
I will be coming home
And when the foghorn blows
I wanna hear it
I don't have to fear it
And I wanna rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And magnificently we will float into the mystic
When that foghorn blows
You know I will be coming home
And when that foghorn whistle blows
I gotta hear it
I don't have to fear it
And I wanna rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And together we will float into the mystic
Come on, girl
Too late to stop now
Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic" is a song about spiritual yearning, self-discovery, and the beauty of nature. The first stanza sets the scene with a description of the poetic and mythical place referred to as the "mystic." The singer, along with fellow seafarers, was born "before the wind" and "younger than the sun," suggesting that they have been around long enough to experience the world's wonders. They embark on a journey on a "bonnie boat" to sail into the mystic. The second stanza captures the essence of a sailor's life, where they smell the sea, feel the sky, and allow their soul and spirit to fly into the mystic.
The third stanza speaks of the foghorn, which symbolizes the journey's end, and the hope of returning home. The singer longs to hear the sound of the foghorn, which signifies his long-awaited homecoming. He affirms that he does not fear the unknown, and wants to share his adventurous spirit with his loved one, to rock her "gypsy soul" just like they would have in the days of old. The final stanza expresses the singer's desire to not just enter the mystic alone but to convince his beloved partner to sail with him. The song ends with an affirmation that it's too late to turn back now, implying a sense of uncertainty but also excitement about what lies ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
We were born before the wind
We came into this world before the gust that carries us through it
Also younger than the sun
We arrived even more recently than the star that lights our way
Ere the bonnie boat was won
Before we acquired our beautiful vessel
As we sailed into the mystic
We moved forward unhesitatingly towards our mystical destination
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Listen closely to the calls of those who have traversed the same waters
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Inhale the brine and sense the expanse overhead
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
Unfurl your innermost self and soar towards the unknown
And when that foghorn blows
Once the warning signal sounds
I will be coming home
I will be returning to my place of belonging
And when the foghorn blows
When the howl of the foghorn resounds
I wanna hear it
I crave to perceive it with my ears
I don't have to fear it
It does not need to incite any fear within me
And I wanna rock your gypsy soul
I wish to move your free and restless spirit
Just like way back in the days of old
Similar to how we danced long ago
And magnificently we will float into the mystic
In a splendid manner, we will drift towards our mysterious destination
When that foghorn blows
Once the warning signal resounds
You know I will be coming home
You understand that I will be returning to my home base
And when that foghorn whistle blows
When the shriek of the foghorn echoes
I gotta hear it
I long to hear it with all my being
I don't have to fear it
It does not need to incite any fear within me
And I wanna rock your gypsy soul
I desire to move your free and restless spirit
Just like way back in the days of old
Similar to how we danced long ago
And together we will float into the mystic
In unison, we will drift towards our mysterious destination
Come on, girl
Encouraging the female to embark on this mystical journey with him
Too late to stop now
We have already begun, and there's no turning back
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Van Morrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@randywilson9973
To all of you who have extended compassion to me in your posts about my failed marriage know that your messages are a comfort.
I am amazed at how much music can touch the soul and this song takes me back to 1976 when I first met the love of my life in California.
Neither of us had any plan for life, but the passion that our hearts felt for each other guided us in a whirlwind ride that led us to marriage within 6 months.
I was a young guy of 22 from Michigan and she was only 18 having just moved to CA from Delaware...
I fell in love w/her the first time I laid eyes on her and our romance was incredible...I actually proposed to her on the Golden Gate Bridge...
This song and several others bring me to walking the beach in Santa Cruz/CA sharing a Togo's sub and a Coors beer and listening to Steely Dan in the car as we drove back to San Jose.
While I have fond memories of the coast of CA, many of our memories of trips in MI were to locations around Lake Michigan, Superior & Lake Huron.
The last few years of our marriage our special place was Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan.
The last time we visited there, we walked the dunes and sat & shared a sub overlooking the lake.
I will never forget this and when I finally pass I want my ashes to be strewn across those dunes.
I'm pretty sure I'll be thinking of "Into the Mystic" when I pass along w/another song that represents my broken heart - "Tryin' to Get Over You" by Vince Gill.
Thank you all for your kindness - God let me rest...
@lizmor42
I am 28 years old, I just heard this song for the first time and it was pretty much a religious experience. This is the most beautiful song I have ever heard.
@garysnow1475
I'm 64 and I just heard it about a week ago I thought I knew most of the Van Morrison hits but I had actually never heard this before. It's beauty is stunning. It's like the music and the words we're created at the same time.
@fiainphoenix
My oldest daughter is 26 and my youngest is 20 and I made sure they knew this artist...nothing calms me like this song :)
@waynewood5344
Welcome, grew up with Vans music
@Swarley0420
This was my wedding song
@justinatheodora
I've loved this song for over 50 yrs; I am 68. It was a religious exp for me, too.. Then, and still.
@davidgiannasi6512
I am 75 years old and when I saw the comment from a 28 year old first time listener of Van Morrison singing Into the Mystic it brought a tear to my eye. The listener
simply said " This is the most beautiful song in the world " and I knew exactly what they felt. Always , my most beautiful song.
@trevorscott5190
David, I too am 75 and this is one of the songs I have requested to be played at my funeral. It is a most beautiful song and I love the cosmic references. “We were born before the wind, Also younger than the stars”It reminds me too of Desiderata “you are a child of the universe no less than the trees or the stars”.
@sirkrutchbluesman3009
@@trevorscott5190 IM ALSO 75 LOVE LOVE DIS SONG ALSO WHEN THE HEALING HAS BEGUN BY VAN MORRISON
@danielseven7927
When a 28 and a 75 year old have the same reaction to a song...that's ART. I have been a Van fan since high school (I'm 69) and was thrilled to get to see him in concert in Phoenix for my bday this year, and what he does is still art.