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.
Memories
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All I have is memories
All I have is memories
Memories of you
Now you're gone
They linger on, these memories
All these precious memories
How they linger in the twilight
In the morning in the small hours
Just before dawn
Memories
Of summer days so long ago
People in the places
That we used to know
Oh those memories
How they linger in the twilight
And in the wee small hours
Sometime just before the dawn
Oh those memories
Oh happy times those memories
All I have now is memories
Memories of you
Oh memories
All those precious memories
All I have is memories
Memories of you
The song "Memories" by Van Morrison is a nostalgic ode to the memories of a lost love. The repetitive chorus of "All I have is memories" highlights the idea that even though the person is gone, the memories remain. The verses describe how these memories linger in every moment of the day and night, from the twilight to the small hours of the morning, emphasizing how they are always present. The refrains of "Oh those memories" and "Oh happy times those memories" add an emotional quality to the song and emphasize the longing for the return of happy times.
The last verse touches on the specific memories that are being cherished - the summer days, the people and places that were important, and the happy times that were shared. The final line, "All I have now is memories, Memories of you" is the most poignant, summing up the theme of the song and the sense of loss felt by the singer.
Overall, "Memories" is a powerful and moving song about the enduring nature of memories and the longing for what is lost. It captures a universal feeling that many listeners can relate to, which is why it remains a beloved classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Memories
The singer is singing about memories.
All I have is memories
The singer has nothing but memories.
All I have is memories
The singer has nothing but memories.
Memories of you
The memories the singer is referring to are about a person they used to know.
Now you're gone
The person the singer is referring to is no longer in their life.
They linger on, these memories
The memories stay with the singer, even though the person is no longer around.
All these precious memories
The memories are valuable to the singer.
Memories of you
The memories the singer is referring to are about a person they used to know.
How they linger in the twilight
The memories stay with the singer even in quiet moments.
In the morning in the small hours
The memories are with the singer even in the early hours of the day.
Just before dawn
The memories are with the singer even in the last moments before the new day begins.
Memories
The singer is singing about memories.
Of summer days so long ago
The memories the singer is referring to happened during summer days in the distant past.
People in the places
The memories involve people and locations.
That we used to know
The people and places are no longer a part of the singer's life.
Oh those memories
The singer is emotional about these memories.
How they linger in the twilight
The memories stay with the singer even in quiet moments.
And in the wee small hours
The memories are with the singer even in the early hours of the day.
Sometime just before the dawn
The memories are with the singer even in the last moments before the new day begins.
Oh those memories
The singer is emotional about these memories.
Oh happy times those memories
The memories are about happy times in the past.
All I have now is memories
The singer has nothing left but memories.
Memories of you
The memories the singer is referring to are about a person they used to know.
Oh memories
The singer is emotional about these memories.
All those precious memories
The memories are valuable to the singer.
All I have is memories
The singer has nothing but memories.
Memories of you
The memories the singer is referring to are about a person they used to know.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind