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.

Keep Mediocrity At Bay
Van Morrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay
Gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay
Got to fight with all your might not to get in the bleeding heart's way

You gotta fight for your rights, you can't bury your head in the sand
You gotta fight for your rights, you can't just bury your head in the sand
Politics and religion, superstition go hand in hand

Well you're going through the motions and they can't hear a word you say
Well you're going through the motions, they don't want to hear a word you say
Got to keep boredom at bay and keep mediocrity away

Gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay
Gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay
Got to fight with all your might not to get in the bleeding heart's way

Got to fight with all your might not to get in the bleeding heart's way

Overall Meaning

In Van Morrison's "Keep Mediocrity At Bay," the lyrics center around the idea of constantly fighting against mediocrity to achieve greatness. The repetition of "gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay" emphasizes the importance of this battle. The artist urges the listener not to bury their head in the sand and to fight for their rights, as politics, religion, and superstition can often hold one back.

Additionally, the line "got to keep boredom at bay and keep mediocrity away" highlights the idea that one must actively strive for creativity and excellence, rather than passively going through the motions of life. The reference to the "bleeding heart" suggests that sometimes the pursuit of greatness can come at a cost, and one must be willing to face obstacles along the way.

Overall, the lyrics to "Keep Mediocrity At Bay" serve as a call to action to fight against complacency and strive for greatness in all aspects of life.

Line by Line Meaning

You gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay
It is necessary to struggle constantly to prevent mediocrity from reality infecting life.

Gotta fight with all your might not to get in the bleeding heart's way
Fight with all your power not to let sentimental emotions hinder you from achieving your goals.

You gotta fight for your rights, you can't bury your head in the sand
One must strive hard to obtain their rights and not ignore the need to take action.

Politics and religion, superstition go hand in hand
Political and religious beliefs are often associated with superstition.

Well you're going through the motions, they don't want to hear a word you say
Others can not hear or understand what you are going through.

Got to keep boredom at bay and keep mediocrity away
It is essential to avoid monotony and prevent mediocrity from seeping into daily routine.

Gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay
It is imperative to resist mediocrity every day to maintain a vibrant life.

Got to fight with all your might not to get in the bleeding heart's way
Fight fervently to prevent emotions that hinder progress towards success.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: VAN MORRISON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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