Hymns to the Silence cover
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Van Morrison song lyrics:
Hymns To the Silence
(see Discography entry)


    Disk 1
  1. Professional Jealousy
  2. I'm Not Feeling It Anymore
  3. Ordinary Life
  4. Some Peace of Mind
  5. So Complicated
  6. I Can't Stop Loving You
  7. Why Must I Always Explain
  8. Village Idiot
  9. See Me Through Part II (Just A Closer Walk With Thee)
  10. Take Me Back
    Disk 2
  1. By His Grace
  2. All Saints Day
  3. Hymns to the Silence
  4. On Hyndford Street
  5. Be Thou My Vision
  6. Carrying A Torch
  7. Green Mansions
  8. Pagan Streams
  9. Quality Street
  10. It Must Be You
  11. I Need Your Kind of Loving

Up Professional Jealousy

Professional jealousy, can bring down a nation
And personal invasion, can ruin a man
Not even his family, will understand what's happening
The price that he's paying, or even the pain

Professional jealousy, started a rumour
And then it extended, to be more abuse
What started out as just, black propaganda
Was one day seen to be, believed as truth

They say the truth is, stranger than fiction
But a lie is more, deadly than sin
It can make a man very, bitter and angry
When he thinks that there's someone, is going to win

Professional jealousy makes other people crazy
When they think you've got something that, they don't have
What they don't understand is it's, just not easy
To cover it all, and, stand where you stand

Professional jealousy, makes no exception
It can happen to anyone, at any time
The only requirement is, knowing what's needed
And then delivering, what's needed on time

The only requirement is to, know what is needed
In doing the best you know how, deliver on time
The only requirement is, to know what is needed
Be best at delivering the, product on time.

Up I'm Not Feeling It Anymore

Have to get back, have to get back the base
I need to talk to somebody, I can trust
Too many cooks, are tryin' to spoil the broth
I can't feel it in my throat, that's all she wrote

I'm not feeling it no more, I'm not feeling it anymore
Not feelin' it no more, not feelin' it anymore

When I was high at the party, everything looked good
I was seein' through rose coloured glasses
Not seein' the wood for the trees
I started out in normal operation
But I just ended up in doubt
All my drinking buddies, they locked me out

I'm not feelin' it no more, I'm not feelin' it anymore
No feelin' it no more, I'm tryin' to give you the score

You see me up there baby, I'm on the screen
But I know better now, it's so unreal
If this is success, then something's awful wrong
`Cause I bought the dream and I had to play along

I'm not feelin' it no more, I'm not feelin' it anymore
I'm tryin' to give you the score, I'm not feelin' it no more

We all know that money, don't buy you love
You just get a job and somewhere to live
You have to look for happiness, within yourself
And don't go chasin' thinkin' that it is somewhere else

I'm not feelin' it no more, I'm not feelin' it anymore
Baby I'm tryin' to give you the score,
I'm not feelin' it no more

I was pretending all the time
I was givin' everybody what they wanted
And I lost my peace of mind
And all I ever wanted was simply just to be me
All you ever need is the truth
And the truth will set you free

I'm not feelin' it no more, I'm not feelin' it anymore
I'm tryin' to give you the score, just like I did before
I'm not feelin' it no more, I'm not feelin' it anymore
I'm not feelin' it no more, baby I'm just trying to give you the score
I'm not feelin' it no more, not feelin' it anymore
Not feelin' it no more
Not feelin' it no more baby.

Up Ordinary Life

Sinking fast, hold tight
Just remember ordinary life
More trouble, than it's worth
Know it when you see the sign
Nothing feels right, step out of line
Just remember ordinary mind

Nagging wife, starts a fight
Trying to make you uptight
Workaholic, on your bike
Take a look at it in the daylight
Nothing feels right, step out of line
Think ordinary mind

Ordinary life, be my rock in times of trouble
Get me back on the earth
Put my feet on the ground

Keep on pushing, make it useful
Do what you've gotta do
Keep on moving, keep on doing
Combat ordinary strife
Need a woman, be my friend
Understand ordinary life

Ordinary life, be my rock in times of trouble
Bring me down to earth
Keep my feet on the ground

Keep on pushing, make it useful
Do what you have to do
Keep on working, keep on doing
Combat ordinary strife
Need a woman, be my friend
Understand ordinary life.

Up Some Peace of Mind

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.

Up So Complicated

So complicated, so complicated
Just wanna blow my horn
So complicated, so complicated
Just wanna know the score

Are you telling me that everything's fine
When I can't even tie my shoes
Better get into a new frame of mind
When I don't have to think about the business no more
`Cause I just wanna blow my horn

The telephone is ringing out
But it don't understand my blues
And how much longer will it take
Until they get the news

The weather man said it was good
He forecast it was truly great
So if you change your train of thought
You know it won't be late

Too complicated, too complicated
You know this crazy scene
Too complicated, too complicated
No one says what they mean

Are you telling me that everything's fine
When I can't even tie my shoes
Better get into a new frame of mind
When I don't have to think about the business no more
`Cause I just wanna blow my horn.

Up I Can't Stop Loving You

I can't stop loving you
Since I made up my mind
To live in memories
Of a lonesome time

I can't stop wanting you
It's useless to say
So I just live my life
In dreams of yesterday

Those happy hours
Oh, those happy hours
That we once knew
Oh, that we once knew
So long ago
So long ago, baby
Still make me blue
Yeah, still make me blue
They say the time
They say that time
Heals a broken heart
Heal a broken heart
But time has stood still
But time has stood still
Since we've been apart
Oh, since we've been apart

I can't stop loving
Since I made up my mind
Living in, live, live, live, live, live, live in memories
Of a lone, lonesome time

I can't stop wanting you
It's useless to say
So I just live my life
In dreams of yesterday

I can't stop loving you
Since I made up my mind
Oh, to live in memory, baby
Of a lonesome time

I can't stop wanting you
It's useless to say
So I just live my life
In Dreams of yesterday
Of yesterday.

Up Why Must I Always Explain?

Have to toe the line, I've got to make the most
Spent all the years going, from pillar to post
Now I'm standing on the outside and I'm waitin' in the rain
Tell me why must I always explain

Bared my soul to the crowd eh but oh what the cost
Most of them laughed out loud like nothing's been lost
There were hypocrites and parasites and people that drain
Tell me why must I always explain

Why, why must I always explain
Over and over, over again
It's just a job you know and it's no sweet lorraine
Tell me why must I always explain (alright)

Well I get up in the morning and I get my brief
I go out and stare at the world in complete disbelief
It's not righteous indignation that makes me complain
It's the fact that I always have to explain

I can't be everywhere at once, there's always somebody to see
And I never turned out to be the person that you wanted me to be
And I tell you who I am, time and time and time again
Tell me why must I always explain

Well it's out on the highway and it's on with the show
Always telling people things they're too lazy to know
It can make you crazy, yeah it can drive you insane
Tell me why must I always explain.

Up Village Idiot

Did you see the lad, on the corner
He was standing drinking wine
Wears his overcoat in the summer
And short sleeves in the winter time

Takes his holidays, down at the bookies
Well he knows how to pick a horse
Village tramping round the countryside
He wears a smile, but he doesn't say much

Village idiot, he's complicated
Village idiot, simple mind
Village idiot, he does know something
But he's just not saying

Don't you know he's onto something
You can see it, you can see it in his eyes
Sometimes he looks so happy
As he goes strolling by

Oh village idiot, he's complicated
Village idiot, he's got a simple mind
Village idiot, must know something
But he's just not saying

Well you all know he's onto something
You can see it in his eyes
Sometimes he looks so happy
When he goes walking by
Sometimes he looks so happy
When he goes walking by
Sometimes he looks so happy
When he goes walking by.

Up See Me Through Part II (Just A Closer Walk With Thee)

Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus if you please
I'll be satisfied as long, as I walk, dear Lord, close to Thee

I am weak but Thou art strong
Jesus keep me from all wrong
I'll be satisfied as long, as I walk, dear Lord, close to Thee

See me through days of wine and roses
By and by when the morning comes
Jazz and blues and folk, poetry and jazz
Voice and music, music and no music
Silence and then voice
Music and writing, words
Memories, memories way back
Take me way back, Hyndford Street and Hank Williams
Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet on Sunday afternoons in winter
Sidney Bechet, Sunday afternoons in winter
And the tuning in of stations in Europe on the wireless
Before, yes before it was the way it was
More silence, more breathing together
Not rushing, being
Before rock `n' roll, before television
Previous, previous, previous
See me through, just a closer walk with Thee

Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus if you please
I'll be satisfied as long, as I walk, dear Lord, close to Thee

I am weak but Thou art strong
Jesus keep me from all wrong
I'll be satisfied as long, as I walk, dear Lord, close to Thee.

Up Take Me Back

I've been walking by the river
I've been walking down by the water
I've been walking down by the river

I've been feeling so sad and blue
I've been thinking, I've been thinking, I've been thinking,
I've been thinking, I've been thinking, I've been thinking,
Ah there's so much suffering, and it's
Too much confusion, too much, too much confusion in the world

Take me back, take me back, take me back
Take me way back, take me way back, take me way back
Take me way back, take me way back, take me way back
Take me way back, take me way back, ah!
Take me way, way, way, way, way, way, way back, huh!
Help me un.....help me understand
Take me, do you remember the time darlin'
When everything made more sense in the world (yeah)
Oh I remember, I remember
When life made more sense
Ah, ah, take me back, take me back, take me back, take me back
Take me back, take me back, take me back, take me back
Take me back (woah) to when the world made more sense
Well there's too much suffering and confusion
And I'm walking down by the river
Oh, let me understand religion

Way, way back, way back
When you walked, in a green field, in a green meadow
Down an avenue of trees
On a, on a golden summer
And the sky was blue
And you didn't have no worries, you didn't have no care
You were walking in a green field
In a meadow, through the buttercups, in the summertime
And you looked way out over, way out
Way out over the city and the water
And it feels so good, and it feels so good
And you keep on walking

And the music on the radio, and the music on the radio
Has so much soul, has so much soul
And you listen, in the nightime
While we're still and quiet

And you look out on the water
And the big ships, and the big boats
Came on sailing by, by, by, by
And you felt so good, and I felt so good
I felt I wanna blow my harmonica

Take me back, there, take me way back there
Take me back, take me back, take me back
Take me way, way, way back, way back
To when, when I understood
When I understood the light, when I understood the light
In the golden afternoon, in the golden afternoon
In the golden afternoon, in the golden afternoon
In the golden afternoon when we sat and listened to Sonny Boy blow

In the golden afternoon when
We sat and let Sonny Boy, blow, blow his harp

Take me back, take me back, take me back
Take me way, way, way, way, way, way, way
Back when I, when I understood, when I understood, yeah
Oh, ah, take me way back, when, when, when, when, when, when
When, when, when, when, when, when, when
I was walking down the
Walking down the street and
It didn't matter
`Cause everything felt, everything felt, everything felt
Everything felt, everything felt, everything felt, everything felt
Everything felt, everything felt, everything felt so right, ha
And so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good, ah
Everything felt, so right, and so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good, so good
In the eternal now, in the eternal moment
In the eternal now, in the eternal moment
In the eternal now
Everything felt so good, so good, so good, so good, so good
And so right, so right, so right, just
So good, so right, so right, in the eternal
In the eternal moment, in the eternal moment
In the eternal moment, in the eternal moment
When you lived, when you lived
When you lived, in the light
When you lived in the grace
In the grace, in grace
When you lived in the light
In the light, in the grace
And the blessing.

Up By His Grace

You've got to try, for the kingdom
You've got to try, for the kingdom
On high, you've got to try,
By His grace, by His grace

You've got to live your religion
Deep inside, when you try
For the kingdom on high
By His grace, by His grace

Open your mind to the wisdom
When you try for the kingdom, on high
By His grace, by His grace

Open your heart to the wisdom
In your mind when you try
For the kingdom on high
By His grace, by His grace

One day at a time, you got to try
Open your eye, it will come
By and by, when you try
By His grace, by His grace
By His grace, by His grace.

Up All Saints Day

Here comes Sue and she looks crazy
Skipping down the hillside gaily
looking like the flowers that bloom in May
Won't you make your reservation?
I will meet you at the station
Won't you come and see me, All Saints Day?

Follow my lead, it is no wonder, I seem to be so high
Living my dreams the way I ought to
As the days go rolling by
See me strolling through the meadow
With you baby by my side
Won't you come and see me, All Saints Day?

See the streamline blue horizon
With you baby by the way
Won't you come and see me, All Saints Day?
You can make your reservation
I will meet you at the station
When you come to see me, All Saints Day

When you come to see me, All Saints Day
When you come to see me, All Saints Day.

Up Hymns To the Silence

Oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love
Oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love
When I'm away from you, when I'm away from you
Well I feel, yeah, well I feel so sad and blue
Well I feel, well I feel so sad and blue
Oh my dear, oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love
When I'm away from you, I just have to sing, my hymns
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence

Oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love it's a long, long journey
Long, long journey, journey back home
Back home to you, feel you by my side
Long journey, journey, journey
Yeah in the midnight, in the midnight, I burn the candle
Burn the candle at both ends, burn the candle at both ends
Burn the candle at both ends, burn the candle at both ends
And I keep on, `cause I can't sleep at night
Until the daylight comes through
And I just, and I just, have to sing
Sing my hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
My hymns to the silence

I wanna go out in the countryside
Oh sit by the clear, cool, crystal water
Get my spirit, way back to the feeling
Deep in my soul, I wanna feel
Oh so close to the One, close to the One
Close to the One, close to the One
And that's why, I keep on singing baby
My hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Oh my hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Oh hymns to the silence, oh hymns to the silence
Oh hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Oh my dear, my dear sweet love
Can you feel the silence? can you feel the silence?
Can you feel the silence? can you feel the silence?

Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence.

Up On Hyndford Street

Take me back, take me way, way, way back
On Hyndford Street
Where you could feel the silence at half past eleven
On long summer nights
As the wireless played Radio Luxembourg
And the voices whispered across Beechie River
In the quietness as we sank into restful slumber in the silence
And carried on dreaming, in God
And walks up Cherry Valley from North Road Bridge, railway line
On sunny summer afternoons
Picking apples from the side of the tracks
That spilled over from the gardens of the houses on Cyprus Avenue
Watching the moth catcher working the floodlights in the evenings
And meeting down by the pylons
Playing round Mrs. Kelly's lamp
Going out to Holywood on the bus
And walking from the end of the lines to the seaside
Stopping at Fusco's for ice cream
In the days before rock 'n' roll
Hyndford Street, Abetta Parade
Orangefield, St. Donard's Church
Sunday six-bells, and in between the silence there was conversation
And laughter, and music and singing, and shivers up the back of the neck
And tuning in to Luxembourg late at night
And jazz and blues records during the day
Also Debussy on the third programme
Early mornings when contemplation was best
Going up the Castlereagh hills
And the cregagh glens in summer and coming back
To Hyndford Street, feeling wondrous and lit up inside
With a sense of everlasting life
And reading Mr. Jelly Roll and Big Bill Broonzy
And "Really The Blues" by "Mezz" Mezzrow
And "Dharma Bums" by Jack Kerouac
Over and over again
And voices echoing late at night over Beechie River
And it's always being now, and it's always being now
It's always now
Can you feel the silence?
On Hyndford Street where you could feel the silence
At half past eleven on long summer nights
As the wireless played Radio Luxembourg
And the voices whispered across Beechie River
And in the quietness we sank into restful slumber in silence
And carried on dreaming in God.

Up Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thy art
Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Waking or sleeping, Thou presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight
Be Thou my armour and be Thou my might
Thou my soul shelter, and Thy my high tower
Raise Thou me heavenwards, oh power of my power

Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance through all of my days
Thou and Thou only though first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art

Oh high king of heaven, when battle is done
Grant heaven's joy to me, bright heaven sun
Christ of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, though ruler of all

Da, da, da, da, da, etc.

Up Carrying A Torch

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.

Up Green Mansions

Green mansions, high upon a hill
Green mansions, quiet and still
Big wall all around
It's where my baby will be found
Waiting for that day, to come

Green mansions, high upon a hill
In the countryside where the birds begin to sing
Free from the glamour of the world
Where the story does unfurl
Waiting on that day to come

Tried in vain to forget
Just how it ought to be
Over and over and over and over again
`Bout what it means to me

Green mansions, I can hear the mocking bird
Birds singing in a melancholy wood
The big wall all around
Where my baby will be found
Waiting for that day to come

Well I've tried in vain, to forget
Yeah what it ought to be
Over and over, over again
Just what it means to me

Green mansions, high upon a hill
Green mansions, quiet and still
Big wall all around
Where my baby will be found
Waiting for that day to come

Green mansions, high upon a hill
Green mansions, quiet and still
Big wall all around
Where my baby will be found
Waiting for that day to come.

Up Pagan Streams

And we walked the pagan streams
And searched for white horses on surrounding hills
We lived where dusk had meaning
And repaired to quiet sleep, where noise abated
In touch with the silence
On Honey Street, on Honey Street

What happened to a sense of wonder
On yonder hillside, getting dim
Why didn't they leave us, alone
Why couldn't we just be ourselves
We could dream, and keep bees
And live on Honey Street

And we walked the pagan streams
In meditation and contemplation
And we didn't need anybody, or anything
Then, no concepts, being free
And I wanna climb that hillside again, with you
One more time

As the great, great, great, great, great, great, great
Being watches over
And we repair, repair, repair, shhh, repair, shhh, we repair
To Honey Street, to Honey Street.

Up Quality Street

I've seen, so many lovers cry
Lost love, makes me wonder why
I've found a love, a once in a lifetime love
Angel on high, from heaven so high above
So I thank God for sending me you

I have heard of playing around with numbers
But one is all I need
She can't be beat, she makes me complete
On Quality Street

I have heard of playing around with numbers
But one is all I need
She can't be beat, she makes me complete
On Quality Street

I have lived alone, until you came along
And you gave me love
And my dream came true
And God gave me you

I see, the end of the rainbow now
True love, has blessed me somehow
Blessing of love, a once in a lifetime love
Angel on high, from heaven so high above
So I thank God for sending me you

I have heard of playing around with numbers
But one is all I need
She can't be beat, she makes me complete
On Quality Street

Quality Street
On Quality Street
Quality, Quality, Quality, Quality Street
Quality Street
On Quality Street.

Up It Must Be You

The sun is shining, it's everywhere
Don't have no worry, don't have no care
It must be true, this is the season
Baby it must be you

It was raining the other day
But that lonely feeling has gone away
It must be true, it's so pleasing
It must be you

That's what they say, in those old storybooks of old
You light my way and you satisfy my soul

It must be magic, it must be love
Oh what could I have been thinking of
It's the reason I'm feeling so blue
It must be you

Well that's what they say, in those old storybooks of old
You light my way and you satisfy my soul

It must be magic, it must be bliss
Oh it must be rain on a night like this
It must be true, that's the reason I think
It must be you

It must be you
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Baby, b-b-b-b-b-b-baby
It must be you
I really do believe, it must be you
Baby, baby, I really do believe, really do believe, really do believe.

Up I Need Your Kind Of Loving

Well my baby's gone, so's summer
And it brings on a cool night breeze
And I wish we could go walking
By the river, by the shady trees
By the river with the shady trees

Well I love you in the wintertime
Baby when the snow is on the ground
Well I love you in the autumn most of all
When the leaves come tumbling down
When the leaves come tumbling down

Baby I need your kind of loving
For to last my whole life through
Baby I need your kind of loving
You know nobody else will do
You know that nobody else will do

Well I love you in the springtime
When the rippling streams begin to flow
And the weather start to get a bit warmer
And the grass begins to grow
And the green, green, grass, begins to grow

Baby I need your kind of loving
For to last my whole life through
Baby I need your kind of loving
You know that nobody else will do
You know that nobody else will do

Baby I need your kind of loving
For to last my whole life through
Baby I need your kind of loving
You know nobody else will do
You know nobody else will do

Need your kind of loving
Operator, operator
Put me through to my baby now
Operator, put me through to my baby now
To my baby now, to my baby now.

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