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.
Spanish Rose
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The things we've done and said
And all the memories that come glancing back to me
In my loneliness
You're standing in the breach
Beyond that stretch, but our love reach
Unconsciousness that find me sometimes wondering
Where you're at
Hmm, take me back again,
Take me back one more time, Spanish rose
The way you pulled the gate
Behind you when you said, "It ain't too late,
Come on, let's swing the town and have a ball tonight."
And hoping you'd come through
And many others, too,
And all the friends we used to have in days gone by,
I'm wondering
If you'll take me back again,
Take me back one more time, Spanish rose
And when the lights went out
And no one was abandoning the country in full bloom,
In the room we danced
And many hearts were torn
And when the word went around that everything was wrong
And just couldn't be put right
It tore me up, it tore me up
The way you held a note
The trembling in your throat,
That just beginning of your wondrous smile
The rising of the water
The winter winds of days gone by
I often ask myself and wonder why
It's gone
Oh take me back again
Take me back one more time, Spanish Rose.
In slumber you did sleep,
The window I did creep
And touch your raven hair and sang that song
Again to you
You did not even wince,
You thought I was the Prince
To come and take you from your misery
And lonely castle walls
Ah, take me back again,
Take me back one more time, Spanish rose
Ah ah, ah ah,
Mm, mm,
Da da da da da da da
The song "Spanish Rose" is a lament about lost love and longing for a past relationship. The lyrics speak of memories, both good and bad, that the singer reminisces about in his lonely moments. He refers to the special moments and experiences they shared together, such as hiding wine beneath the bed, and tearing up as he recalls the way she sang and held a note. He remembers the way she swung the gate behind her and invited him to go out and dance, hoping for a good time and reminiscing about old friends. He also recounts a time when they danced in a room while many hearts were torn, and everything felt wrong.
In the lyrics, the singer describes creeping into her room while she was asleep and singing to her, hoping to rescue her from her misery and the lonely castle walls that surrounded her. The song is a plea for his lost love to take him back one more time and is filled with sadness, regret, and a sense of longing.
This song has a lot of religious symbolism, and the rose mentioned in the title is considered a symbol of love, but also of the Virgin Mary and various other religious figures. The concept of the rose is a motif that appears throughout the song, as the singer is symbolically reaching out to his past relationship and the woman he once loved.
Line by Line Meaning
The wine beneath the bed,
Remembering the secret moments shared in hidden places, like the wine beneath the bed.
The things we've done and said
All of the things that were done and words that were spoken during those moments.
And all the memories that come glancing back to me
Bringing back memories of those secret moments and everything that happened then.
In my loneliness
Thinking about past times and memories of you when feeling lonely and missing you.
You're standing in the breach
Even though we are apart, the memory of you is still holding strong and bright.
Beyond that stretch, but our love reach
The distance between us might be far but the love between us is still taking hold and growing strong.
Unconsciousness that find me sometimes wondering
During moments of unconsciousness, sometimes it causes me to suddenly wonder where you might be.
Where you're at
Simply wondering and hoping to know where you might be now and if you still remember me.
Hmm, take me back again,
Asking to go back to those moments shared with you once again.
Take me back one more time, Spanish rose
Asking to go back to the past, to that time together with a specific person, the Spanish rose.
The way you pulled the gate
Remembering how the Spanish rose pulled open the gate as if nothing was too late to spend time together.
Behind you when you said, 'It ain't too late,
Calling to mind the hopeful words spoken that night by the Spanish rose, saying that there was still time to have fun and swing the town.
Come on, let's swing the town and have a ball tonight.'
Recalling the suggestion of going out to have fun together that night.
And hoping you'd come through
Hoping to hear from the Spanish rose and wanting to plan another night out together.
And many others, too,
Many other friends shared good times like this in the past and I miss them as well.
And all the friends we used to have in days gone by,
Recalling all the old friends that were once part of our group before they moved on and/or became distant.
I'm wondering
Thinking repeatedly about these people and the past times shared between us.
If you'll take me back again,
Asking the Spanish rose to return to me, to let us enjoy each other's company once more.
Take me back one more time, Spanish rose
The last request in the song, hoping to be transported back to the memorable times with the Spanish rose one last time, maybe to say goodbye or to try again.
And when the lights went out
Recalling a specific memory when the generator gave out and the lights in the room went out.
And no one was abandoning the country in full bloom,
During that moment, no one was leaving the country, it was a peaceful time when everything was blooming.
In the room we danced
Remembering dancing with the Spanish rose and other friends during that same moment with the lights out.
And many hearts were torn
Referring to the broken hearts of those who fell in love with each other on that very same night.
And when the word went around that everything was wrong
Recalling when we heard about the rumors of misfortune and troubles happening around us.
And just couldn't be put right
Feeling like there was no way to fix the current problems and tensions around us.
It tore me up, it tore me up
Feeling broken, but specifically being torn up by these problems and how it affected me.
The way you held a note
Thinking fondly of the Spanish rose's voice and how she held a note in a song they shared together.
The trembling in your throat,
Thinking of the way the Spanish rose's voice could shake or quiver with emotion during that same song.
That just beginning of your wondrous smile
Noticing how the Spanish rose's smile was unlike anything else and how it could turn a bad day around.
The rising of the water
Thinking of a memory where they were near a body of water that was rising, perhaps because of the tide or the moon.
The winter winds of days gone by
Reflecting on the winter winds from years before and how they brought about a different feeling compared to the present day.
I often ask myself and wonder why
Repeating the question to oneself of how things changed between us and wondering why it happened.
It's gone
Feeling upset and in despair knowing that whatever they had together, is gone.
Oh take me back again
Yearning to go back to the past and fix everything between them.
Take me back one more time, Spanish Rose.
This is the most repeated line in the song and it essentially symbolizes the listener's hope and desire to go back and be with the Spanish Rose one more time.
In slumber you did sleep,
Thinking of a specific moment with the Spanish Rose when she was sleeping.
The window I did creep
Recalling a moment when the singer snuck around outside near the sleeping Spanish Rose's window.
And touch your raven hair and sang that song
Remembering the intimate moment he reached in and touched her hair while singing a song to her while she was asleep.
Again to you
Hoping for another moment like that shared with the Spanish Rose.
You did not even wince,
Noticing that the Spanish Rose was unafraid, unbothered and unresponsive to the singer's presence.
You thought I was the Prince
Thinking of how the Spanish Rose may have mistaken the singer for a prince in her dream-like state.
To come and take you from your misery
Wondering if the Spanish Rose believed that the singer, as the prince, could whisk her away from any unhappiness or unfulfillment she might have been experiencing in her waking life.
And lonely castle walls
Thinking about the metaphorical castle walls in the song and how the story revolves around someone who might be unhappy and alone behind them.
Ah, take me back again,
Asking to return to that same moment of intimacy and vulnerability with the Spanish Rose.
Take me back one more time, Spanish rose
Repeating this lyric one last time, hoping for a chance to fix and relive a past that was once bright and hopeful.
Ah ah, ah ah,
This line signifies the end of the song and is often associated with the retelling of a fond memory.
Mm, mm,
A vocalization that emphasizes the moments of deep reflection and moving on from past experiences.
Da da da da da da da
Likely symbolizes the joy of coming to a moment of catharsis for the listener and a bittersweet contentment at what was.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind