Van Morrison - Duets: Re-Working The Catalogue Album Lyrics

You see me on the street, well you guess I'm doing fine
Oh but it's fantasy baby, almost all the time
I've got to get away, by myself
Oh the way it's going, soon be needing help
`Cause I'm just a man, doing the best I can
Don't you understand, I just want some peace of mind

You see me on the stage, doing my job
I learn to do it well, keep on singing the song
But sometimes it gets, so lonely out there
When you're on the road and you're going nowhere
Because I'm just a man, oh I ain't got no plans
Don't you understand, I'm just trying to find some peace of mind

I have to stand in line, baby when I'm in queue
I got to do it all, just the same as you
Got my doubts about it, oh but I try
Oh make it work with tears in my eyes
Because I'm just a man, only trying to do the best I can
Don't you understand, I want some peace of mind

Oh I'm just a man, baby I ain't got no plan
Oh don't you understand, got to get some peace of mind
Oh got to get, got to get some peace of mind
Oh got to get, got to get some peace of mind
Got to get, got to get some peace of mind
Got to, got to, got to get, got to get, get some peace of mind
Got to get, got to get, get some peace of mind
Get me some, get me some, get me some, get me some peace of mind
Get me some, get me some, peace of mind
Get me some baby, get me some peace of mind.

Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You
Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You

To see me through the daytime
(See me through the daytime)
And through the long, lonely night
To lead me through the darkness
And on into the light

To stand with me when I'm troubled
(Stand with me when I'm troubled)
And help me through my strife
At times get so uncertain, I turn to, You
Turn to You, in my young life

Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You
Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You

Someone to hold onto
(Someone to hold to)
And keep me from all fear
Someone to be my guiding light
And keep me ever dear

To keep me from-a my selfishness
(To keep me from my selfishness)
To keep-a me from-a my sorrow
To lead me on to givingness
So I can see a new tomorrow

Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You
Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You

Someone to walk with
Whoa, someone to hold by the hand
Someone to talk with
Someone to understand

Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)

To call on when I need, You
(Call on when I need, You)
And I need You, very much
To open up my arms to, You
(Feel your tender touch)
(Feel your tender touch

To feel it and to keep it
(Feel it and keep it)
To keep it right here in my soul
(Yeah, yeah)
And care for it and keep it with me
(Never, never to grow old)
Never to grow old

Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You
Lord, if I ever needed someone
I need, You

One more time, again

Lord, if I ever needed, needed some a-one
I need, You

Lord, oh if I ever needed some a-one
I need, You.

Well I'm higher than the world
And I'm livin' in my dreams
Make it better than it seems
Today

And I'm higher than a clouds
And I'm wrapped up in the sound
Make it better all around
Today

Higher than the world
Yeah higher than this world
I wanna give a life a whirl
Today

Higher in my mind
I'm gonna leave my blues behind
Let's hold on, let's hold on to what I find
Today

Higher than the world
Yeah my head is in a swirl
Gotta give a life a whirl
Today

Higher in my mind
Gonna leave my blues behind
Let's hold on, let's hold on to what I find
Today

Cause I'm higher than the world
And I'm wrapped up in my dreams
Make it better than it seems
Today

Open your arms in the early mornin'
When the light comes shinin' through
Can't you hear my heart beat just for you?
It's beating so wild, honey.
And light comes shinin'
Singin' my song
And the band is playin'
And the music is tried and true
Can't you hear my heart beat just for you?
It's beating so wild, honey.
And light comes shinin'
I'll be waiting for you
I'll be waiting here for me
Way up on the mountain
Where the hillside rolls down to the sea
Tell me what's real?
What I feel inside
Any time of day or night will do
It's alright
Can't you hear my heart beat just for you?
It's beating so wild, honey.
And your light comes shining through.
Tell me what's real
What I feel inside
Any time of day or night will do
It's alright.
Can't you hear my heart beat just for you?
It's beating so wild, honey.
And the light comes shining through
And the light comes shining through . . .
It's beating so wild . . .
And the light comes shining through
And the light comes shining through.

(Van Morrison)

Whatever happened to PJ Proby?
Wonder can you fix it Jim
Where the hell do you think is Scott Walker?
My memory's getting so dim

Don't have no frame of reference no more
Not even Screaming Lord Sutch
Without him now there's no Raving Loony Party
Nowadays I guess there's not much

To relate to anymore
Unless you wanna be mediocre
Ain't nothing new under the sun
And the moon and the stars now chum

I'm making my way down the highway
Still got a monkey on my back
I'm facing it head on and doing it my way
Please can you cut me some slack

There's nothing to relate to anymore
Unless you want to be mediocre
Ain't nothing new under the sun
And the moon and the stars now chum

Still making my way down the highway
Still got a monkey on my back
Facing head on and doing it my way
Please can you cut me some slack

All the cards fell so many rounds
Down the road a piece Jack
I saw a bus coming and I had to get on it
I'm still trying to find my way back

Whatever happened to all those dreams a while ago
Whatever happened way across the sea
Whatever happened to the way it's supposed to happen
And whatever happened to me?

I'm carryin' a torch for you
I'm carryin' a torch
You know how much it costs
To keep carryin' a torch

Flame of love it burns so bright
That is my desire
Keep on liftin' me, liftin' me up
Higher and higher

You're the keeper of the flame
And you burn so bright
Baby why don't we re-connect
Move into the light

I've been going to and fro on this
And I'm still carryin' a torch
You must know how much it's worth
When I'm carryin' a torch (alright)

Baby you're the keeper of the flame
And you burn so bright
Why, why, why, why, why, why don't we re-connect
And move on further, into the light

I've been calling you on the phone
`Cause I'm carryin' a torch (yeah)
I can do it all on my own
`Cause I'm carryin' a torch

I'm carryin' a torch for you, baby
I'm carryin' a torch
You know how much it's worth
Because I'm carryin' a torch (one more)

I'm carryin' a torch for you, baby
I'm carryin' a torch
You know how much it's worth
Because I'm carryin' a torch.

Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City? (Do you know the way to Kansas City?)
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City? (Do you know the way to Kansas City?)
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City? (Do you know the way to Kansas City?)
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City? (Do you know the way to Kansas City?)
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City? (Do you know the way to Kansas City)?

Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?

Train down to St. Louis
Get me there alright
Over to the city there, you know that one
Where the farmer's daughter digs the farmer's son
Dig your Charlie Parker
Basie and Young
Witherspoon and Jay McShann
They will come
Oooowoooowoooo

Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
Excuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?

Lady Liberty in waiting
You know she lights the way
Her name is Billie, she's a Holiday
And the city is eternal, hey, can't you see?
It's inside of you and it's inside of me
Oooowoooowoooo

You know, you know the way to Kansas City?
You know, you know the way to Kansas City?
You know, you know the way to Kansas City?
You know, you know the way to Kansas City?
You know, the way to Kansas City
You know, the way to Kansas City
Wild thing

You know the way to Kansas City (Choir only)
Thank you Man (Van)
You know the way to Kansas City
Sing it (Van)
You know the way to Kansas City (Van and choir)
Hit it (Van)
You know, the way to Kansas City
You know, the way to Kansas City
You know, the way to Kansas City
You know, the way to Kansas City
Baby can't you sing it one time (Van)

You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City
You know the way to Kansas City

And as we walked
Through the streets of Arklow
Oh the color
Of the day wore on
And our heads
Were filled with poetry
And the morning
A-comin' on to dawn

And as we walked
Through the streets of Arklow
And gay perfusion
In god's green land
And the gypsy's rode
With their hearts on fire
They say "We love to wander,"
"Lord we love,"
"Lord we love to roam"

And as we walked
Through the streets of Arklow
In a drenching beauty
Rolling back 'til the day
And I saw your eyes
They was shining, sparkling crystal clear
And our souls were clean
And the grass did grow
And our souls were clean
And the grass did grow
And our souls were clean
And the grass did grow

And as we walked
Through the streets of Arklow

These are the days of the endless summer
These are the days, the time is now
There is no past, there's only future
There's only here, there's only now

Oh your smiling face, your gracious presence
The fires of spring are kindling bright
And the radiant heart and the song of glory
Crying freedom, freedom in the night

These are the days by the sparkling river
His timely grace and our treasured find
This is the love of the one magician
Turned the water into wine

These are days of the endless dancing
And the long walks on the summer night
These are the days of the true romancing
When I'm holding you oh, so tight

These are the days by the sparkling river
His timely grace and our treasured find
This is the love of the one great magician
Turned water into wine

These are the days now that we must savour
And we must enjoy as we can
These are the days that will last forever
You've got to hold them, hold them in your heart

These are the days
These are the days
These are the days
These are the days

I just can't seem to take much more of this
Got too much hassle baby and not enough bliss
Got to give these hangers on a miss
'Cos I need some help I just don't get

No one seems to understand what's up
What's up, what's up
So called friends come and go
And things just don't add up
Trying to make my way
Through all this illusion and myth
I don't even have no safety net

Nero fiddled while Rome burnt
Napoleon met his Waterloo
Sampson went spare when Delilah cut his hair
But little David slew Goliath too

I'm just trying to get some results
Listen baby I'm not trying to start my own cult
Please tell me something that I don't know
I just wanna get on with the show

Nero fiddled while Rome burnt
Napoleon met his Waterloo
Sampson went spare when Delilah cut his hair
But little David slew Goliath too

You'd think some program might do the trick
Let me tell you this wall of fog
Is just too thick
I thought of everything but the whip
But baby nobody on my ship is up to it

I'm just trying to get some results, some results
I'm not trying to start my own cult, no ..
Just tell me something that I don't know
I just wanna get on with the show

I just wanna get on with the show
Just tell me something that I don't know
I just wanna get on with the show
And if it don't work then let it go

Oh the mud splattered victims
Have to pay out all along the ancient highway
Torn between half truth and victimisation
Fighting back with counter attacks

When that rough god goes riding
When the rough god goes gliding
There'll be nobody hiding
When that rough god comes riding on in
Riding on in

I was flabbergasted by the headlines
People in glasshouses throwing stones
Gaping wounds that will never heal
Now they're moaning like a dog in a manger

It's when that rough god goes riding
And then the rough god goes gliding
There'll be nobody hiding
When that rough god comes riding on in

Well it's a matter of survival
When you're born with your back against the wall
Won't somebody hand me my bible
Won't you give me that toll free number to call

When that rough god goes riding
When that rough god goes gliding
There'll be nobody hiding
When that rough god goes riding on in
Riding on in

There'll be no more heroes
They'll be reduced down to zero
When that rough god goes riding
Riding on in
Riding on in [repeat]

Call of the wildest, it's got the best of you
Fire in my heart, fire in my belly too
Got a heart and a mind and a fire inside
And I'm crazy about you
You, you on your high flying cloud
You, you when you're laughing out loud
You, you with your hidden surprise
You

Stoke up my engine, bring me my driving wheel
Once I get started you'll see just how I feel
And I'm crazy about you
And I'm crazy about you
And I'm crazy about you
You, you on your high flying cloud
You, you when you're laughing out loud
You, you with your hidden surprise
You

Gotta get through January
Gotta get through February
Gotta get through January
Gotta get through February
Gotta get through January
Gotta get through February
Gotta get through January

Spring in my heart, fire in my belly too
I come apart, I don't know just what to do
Got a heart and a mind and a fire inside
And I'm crazy about you
You, you on your high flying cloud
You, you with the laugh in your eyes
You, you with your hidden surprise
You

Gotta get through January
Gotta get through February
Gotta get through January
Gotta get through February
Gotta get through January
Gotta get through February
Gotta get through January

Spring in my heart, fire in my belly too
I come apart, I don't know just what to do
Got a heart and a mind and a fire inside
And I'm crazy about you
You, you on your high flying cloud
You, you with the laugh in your eyes
You, you with your hidden surprise
You

Talkin' 'bout you
Talkin' 'bout you
Talkin' 'bout you
Talkin' 'bout you
Talkin' 'bout you
Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)
Talkin' 'bout you (fire in the belly too)

Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)
Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)
Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)
Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)
Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)
Talkin' 'bout you

Man can be king
Seems to have everything
But it comes with a sting
When you were born to sing

Reason doesn't walk in
It's not done on a whim
Passion's everything
When you were born to sing

Feeling good
Singing the blues
It ain't easy
Keep on paying them dues

When it gets to the part
Well let's not stop and start
Deep down in your heart
You know you were born to sing

When you came in
No original sin
You were a king
Because you were born to sing

Reason doesn't walk in
It's not done on a whim
Passion's everything
When you were born to sing

Lord, feeling good
Singing the blues
Know it ain't easy
Keep on paying them dues

When it comes to the part
Well let's not stop and start
Deep down in your heart
Baby you were born to sing

When it gets to the part
Well let's not stop and start
When the band starts to swing
You were born to sing

When it gets to the part
Well let's not stop and start
When the band starts to swing
You were born to sing
Yes, you were
You were born to sing

Oh won't you stay
Stay a while with your own ones
Don't ever stray
Stray so far from your own ones
'Cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing for your soul
You share with your own ones

Don't rush away
Rush away from your own ones
One more day
One more day with your own ones
'Cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing for your soul
You share with your own ones

There's a stranger
And he's standing by your door
Might be your best friend, might be your brother
You may never know

I'm going back
Going back to my own ones
Back to talk
Talk a while with my own ones
'Cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing for your soul
You share with your own ones

There's a stranger
And he's standing by your door
Might be your best friend, might be your brother
You may never know

I'm going back
Going back to my own ones
Back to talk
Talk a while with my own ones
Oh the world is so cold
Don't care nothing for your soul
You share with your own one

I'm real real gone
I got hit by a bow and arrow
Got me down to the very marrow
You're a friend of mine
And I'm real real gone

I'm real real gone
I can't stand up by myself
Don't you know I need your help, baby
And I'm real real gone

Some people say
You can make it on your own
You can make it if you try
I know better man
You can't stand up alone
Oh baby, baby that is why

I'm real real gone
I can't stand up all by myself
Don't you know I need your help
You're a friend of mine
And I'm real real gone

And Sam Cooke is on the radio
And all the nighttime is filled with space
And your little fingertips touch my face
You're a friend of mine
And I'm real real real real real gone

I'm real gone
I got hit by a bow and arrow
(I got hit by a bow and arrow)
Got me down to the very marrow
You're a friend of mine
And I'm real real gone
Real gone, real gone
I'm real real gone

Wilson Pickett said:
- "In the midnight hour, that's
When my love comes tumbling down"
Solomon Burke said:
- "If you need me, why don't you call me"
James Brown said:
- "When you're tired of what you got, try me"
Gene Chandler said:
- "There's a rainbow in my soul"

And I'm real real gone
Real gone, real gone
And I'm real real gone

Had my congregation, had my flock
When I was a shepherd of men
I chased the wild goose, chased the pot of gold
Chased the rainbow's end

How can a poor boy get this message to you?
How can a poor boy? You don't believe anything that's true

Had my rise, had my downfall
Now I'm gonna rise up again
You know I had my degrees, had my initiations
Not speaking to the profane

How can a poor boy get this message to you?
How can a poor boy when you don't believe a thing that's true?

I've been anointed, I've been appointed
Even been magnified
Well you know I've spied a chapel all of gold
The priest was laying down with the swine

How can a poor boy get this message to you?
How can a poor boy when you don't believe anything is true?

Watch the illusion of false security
Play of the shadows that move
Tell me what evil lurks in the hearts of men
Only the shadow knows

How can a poor boy get this message to you?
How can a poor boy when you don't believe a thing that's true, no no
How can a poor boy get this through to you?
How can a poor boy get this message to you?
How can a poor boy ever get through to you?
Get through to you, get through to you