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.
When That Evening Sun Goes Down
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When that evening sun goes down
I want you, be around
Keep my both feet on the ground
When that evening sun goes down
I want you, understand
Little girl, take me by my hand
I want to be your loving man
When that evening sun goes down
If it's nice, we'll go for a walk,
A stroll in the clear moonlight
Singing a song, won't take long
Everything gonna be alright
And I want to hold you oh so near
Keep you, darling from all fear
I want to hold you oh so near
Nibble on your little ear
When that evening sun goes down
If it's nice, go for a walk,
Stroll in the clear moonlight
Sing you a song, won't take long
Everything gonna be alright
And I want to hold you oh so near
Keep you, darling from all fear
I want to hold you oh so near
Nibble on your little ear
When that evening sun goes down
When that evening sun goes down
When that evening sun goes down
One more time
When that evening sun goes down
The lyrics of Van Morrison's song, "When That Evening Sun Goes Down," express a deep desire to be with someone special, to have them close by, and to enjoy a romantic evening together. The singer of the song is pleading with this person to be around when the evening sun goes down, to keep their feet on the ground and hold them tight. He wants her to understand that he wants to be her loving man, and to take him by the hand so that they can walk together in the moonlight.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer wants to make this a special evening, one that they will cherish forever. He promises to sing her a song and make everything alright, and he wants to hold her close, keep her from fear, and nibble on her ear. The repeated refrain of "when that evening sun goes down" adds to the sense of longing and anticipation, as though the singer is waiting for a special moment to express his feelings.
Overall, the lyrics of "When That Evening Sun Goes Down" capture the essence of a romantic evening, where two people can share their love and affection for each other in a beautiful setting, surrounded by the tranquility of the night. It is a reminder of the power of love and its ability to bring two souls together in a way that is both magical and memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you, be around
I desire your presence
When that evening sun goes down
Particularly during the sunset
I want you, be around
I reiterate, I want you to be by my side
Keep my both feet on the ground
Help me maintain balance
When that evening sun goes down
Especially during the sunset
I want you, understand
I want you to comprehend my sentiments
Little girl, take me by my hand
Lead me along with you like a child
I want you, understand
Repeating that I want you to comprehend my feelings
I want to be your loving man
I want to be the man that you love
When that evening sun goes down
While the evening sky is picturesque
If it's nice, we'll go for a walk,
In case the weather is pleasant, we'll take a walk
A stroll in the clear moonlight
We'll walk while the moon provides light
Singing a song, won't take long
We'll sing a tune that won't be too long
Everything gonna be alright
Everything will be fine
And I want to hold you oh so near
I want to embrace you very closely
Keep you, darling from all fear
I aim to protect you from all dread
I want to hold you oh so near
Again, I want to embrace you very closely
Nibble on your little ear
Playful biting on your ear
When that evening sun goes down
Again, this will all occur during the sunset
If it's nice, go for a walk,
Repeating that if the weather is pleasant, we'll stroll
Stroll in the clear moonlight
Reiterating that we will walk while the moon provides light
Sing you a song, won't take long
Repeating that we'll sing a brief tune together
Everything gonna be alright
Reiterating that everything will be fine
And I want to hold you oh so near
Again, I want to embrace you very closely
Keep you, darling from all fear
Repeating that I want to keep you safe
I want to hold you oh so near
Yet again, I want to embrace you very closely
Nibble on your little ear
Repeating the playful ear-biting
When that evening sun goes down
Still emphasizing that this is during sunset
When that evening sun goes down
Repeating the phrase
One more time
As a final emphasis
When that evening sun goes down
Again, this is all happening during sunset
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jan hensley
Love this! 💚🎶
Debby Harrison
What a fabulous song!!!😀
James Clayton
Does a soul good to know someone besides myself that takes time to dig Van outta all the stuff on the tube , peace and look out for the nibble!!!
Evelyn O'Connor
A very HEARTFELT rendering of a REALLY BEAUTIFUL LOVE ❤️.song by the always fabulous VOCALIST, MUSICIAN and COMPOSER, Van Morrison --- LOVE ❤️ Evelyn O'Connor
beanie928
Terrific rendition!
kay armstrong
Love it!!!
Bettie Mccall
Luv it!!!💚
Frank Gonzales
A Van Morrison Favorite!
Josh Hill
Awesome song
LotsOfFun
This is the only album I bought TWICE!! I wore out the first one..............