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.

What Am I Living For?
Van Morrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What am I livin' for, if not for you
Tell me what am I livin' for, if not for you
What am I livin' for, if not for you
Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do

What am I longin' for each lonely night, yeah
To feel your lips to mine and hold you tight
You'll be my only love, my whole life through

Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do

I want you close to me, oh, that's all I know
I want you all the time, darlin', I love you so

What am I livin' for, if not for you
Tell me, what am I livin' for, child, if not for you
I wanna know what am I livin' for if not for you
Oh, now, nobody else, nobody else will do

All right, that's all right

I want you close to me, oh, that's all I know
I want you all the time, darlin', I love you so

Oh, what am I livin' for, if not for you
Oh, what am I livin' for, oh, if not for you
What am I livin' for, if not for you
Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do

Oh, no, no, nobody else, nobody else will do
Child

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Van Morrison's "What Am I Living For?" are a declaration of love and desire for an unnamed person. The singer seems to be lost without this person, questioning their purpose and reason for living. The refrain "What am I living for, if not for you?" emphasizes the importance of this person to the singer, claiming that nobody else will do. The desire for physical intimacy is also present in lines like "To feel your lips to mine and hold you tight" and "I want you close to me, oh, that's all I know." The singer's love for this person is all-encompassing, with lines like "You'll be my only love, my whole life through" and "I want you all the time, darlin', I love you so."

The use of repetition in the refrain, along with the simple chord progression and upbeat tempo, create an almost hypnotic effect that reflects the singer's unwavering love for this person. It is unclear who the person is that the singer is singing about, but the intense emotions conveyed in the lyrics suggest that this is a very significant relationship for the singer. Overall, the song is a passionate declaration of love and desire, expressing the importance of this unnamed person in the singer's life.

Line by Line Meaning

What am I livin' for, if not for you
The purpose of my existence is solely for you.

Tell me what am I livin' for, if not for you
Please inform me if there is any other reason for me to live other than you.

Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do
No one else can replace you in my life.

What am I longin' for each lonely night, yeah
During my lonesome nights, my heart longs for you.

To feel your lips to mine and hold you tight
I crave intimacy with you, to feel your lips on mine and hold you tightly.

You'll be my only love, my whole life through
You are and will remain the only love of my life.

I want you close to me, oh, that's all I know
All I want and all I understand is to have you close to me.

I want you all the time, darlin', I love you so
I want to be with you always, my love for you is immense.

I wanna know what am I livin' for if not for you
I am seeking clarity on any reason why I exist other than for you.

All right, that's all right
I can accept that my reason for existence is solely for you.

Oh, what am I livin' for, if not for you
Once again, I question the purpose of my existence if not for you.

Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do
No one else can fulfill the purpose of my existence other than you.

Child
A term of endearment.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED JACOBSON, ART HARRIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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