Midnight Special
Van Morrison Lyrics


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Let the midnight special
Let the midnight special
Shine its light on me
Shine a light on me,
Let the midnight special
Let the midnight...
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Ever loving light on me.

Yonder come miss Rosey,
How in the world do you know,
How in the world do you know ?
Well, I know her by her apron
And the dress she wore.
Umbrella on her shoulder,
A piece of paper in her hand,
She gonna tell old John
She want back her man,
She want back her man.

Let the midnight special
Let the midnight special
Shine its light on me
Shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special
Let the midnight...
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Ever loving light on...

If you ever go to Houston,
Yeah, you better walk right,
You'd better not gamble
And sure thing better not fight.
The next thing you know
The sheriff gonna arrest you
And some judge send you down
And you can bet your bottom dollar
Lord, you'll be chain gang bound,
Chain gang bound.

Let the midnight special
Let the midnight
Shine its light on me
Shine, shine, shine, shine,
Let the midnight special
Shine on,
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Shine on me, yeah.

Let the midnight special
Shine, shine, shine,
Shine its light on me
Shine, shine on me,
Let the midnight special
Way into midnight,
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Way into midnight, baby,




Let the midnight special
Waah...

Overall Meaning

The song Midnight Special by Van Morrison is a classic American folk song that has been covered and reinterpreted by several musicians over the years. The song has its roots in African-American folklore and tells the story of a woman named Miss Rosey who is on a mission to get her man back. The singer of the song is asking for the "midnight special" to shine its light on him, indicating that he is also on a journey of some sort.


Throughout the song, there is a sense of danger and foreboding. The lyrics caution listeners about the dangers of gambling and fighting in Houston, implying that those who do so will find themselves in legal trouble. The imagery of Miss Rosey with her umbrella and piece of paper in hand suggests that she is on a mission of vengeance, and the mention of the chain gang at the end of the song reinforces the idea that actions have consequences.


Overall, Midnight Special is a song that captures the essence of American folk music - simple, rhythmic, and steeped in storytelling. The song has endured over the years due to its timeless message, and it remains a beloved classic to this day.


Line by Line Meaning

Let the midnight special
Request for the midnight special to shine its light


Shine its light on me
Request for the midnight special to shine its light on the singer


Shine a light on me,
Request for the midnight special to shine a light on the singer


Let the midnight...
Continuing request for the midnight special to shine its light


Shine its ever-loving light on me
Request for the midnight special to shine its light with love


Yonder come miss Rosey,
Miss Rosey is approaching


How in the world do you know,
Questioning how the singer knows Miss Rosey


Well, I know her by her apron
The artist recognizes Miss Rosey by her apron


And the dress she wore.
The artist also recognizes Miss Rosey by her dress


Umbrella on her shoulder,
Miss Rosey is carrying an umbrella on her shoulder


A piece of paper in her hand,
Miss Rosey is holding a piece of paper


She gonna tell old John
Miss Rosey is going to tell John something


She want back her man,
Miss Rosey wants her man back


If you ever go to Houston,
Advice on what to do if you visit Houston


Yeah, you better walk right,
You should behave properly


You'd better not gamble
You shouldn't gamble


And sure thing better not fight.
You definitely shouldn't fight


The next thing you know
If you don't listen, something bad will happen


The sheriff gonna arrest you
The sheriff will arrest you


And some judge send you down
A judge will sentence you


And you can bet your bottom dollar
You can be sure


Lord, you'll be chain gang bound,
You'll end up on a chain gang


Shine, shine, shine, shine,
Continuing request for the midnight special to shine its light


Shine on me,
Request for the midnight special to shine on the artist


Way into midnight,
Deep into the night


Shine on me, yeah.
Request for the midnight special to shine on the singer


Waah...
Vocalization to end the song




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TRADITIONAL, J BAIRD, PD TRADITIONAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Tim

Van the man. He's a damn alchemist - - every song he sings turns to gold. Truly amazing.... for over a half century.

Tuesday

My favorite cover of “Midnight Special”...my God, I love this man’s voice...

Ed the Sax Player

Me two listening for 54years still love it

JJ

I like that this is different from CCW's iconic version🎵🎼🎶💜

Master Tonberry

This cover is absolute fireeee

Eric Beaulieu

Man,could he sing.This song's got SouL.

John Benn

WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111
From a mad keen 75yo Aussie fan.

Jimmy Jack

Van goin' hard

MrMusicguyma

Not Van's best, IMHO.

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