Van Morrison - Up on Cyprus Avenue

In East Belfast on August 31st, 1945, George Ivan Morrison was born.

As a boy, Van would restlessly walk the nearby streets of his city,

from the redbrick terraces of Hyndford Street

to the leafy suburban grandeur of Cyprus Avenue,

with poetry and rhythm firing his mind

to an intense and creative high.

# Well, I'm caught one more time

# Up on Cyprus Avenue... #

Some of the world's most loved songs were forged in that imagination,

timelessly into the mystic with beautiful visions.

# Caught one more time

# Up on Cyprus Avenue... #

Exactly 70 years after his birth, in the shadow of the shipyard,

the foundries and the factories,

the city welcomes back one of its most celebrated sons,

caught one more time up on Cyprus Avenue.

APPLAUSE

Ladies and gentlemen, Sir Van Morrison.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# Oh, the smell of the bakery from across the street got

# Right in my nose

# As we carried our ladders down the street

# With the wrought-iron gate rows

# I went home and listened to Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams

# In my lunch break

# Bought five Woodbines at the shop on the corner

# And I went straight back to work

# Oh, Sam was up on top and I was on the bottom with the V

# We went for lemonade and Paris buns at the shop

# And broke for tea

# I collected from the lady and I cleaned the fanlight

# Inside out

# I was blowing saxophone on the weekend

# In that down joint

# Tell me, what's my line?

# I'm happy cleaning windows

# Well, I take my time

# I'll see you when my love grows

# Baby, don't let it slide

# I'm a working man in my prime

# When I'm cleaning windows

# Bap bap

# I heard Leadbelly and Blind Lemon

# On the street where I was born

# Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee

# Muddy Waters singin' I Feel Like Goin' Home

# And I read my Christmas Humphreys

# Christmas Humphreys book on Zen

# Also

# Curiosity killed the cat

# Kerouac's Dharma Bums and On The Road

# Tell me, what's my line?

# I'm happy cleaning windows

# Well, I take my time

# I'll see you when my love grows

# Baby, don't let it slide

# I'm a working man in my prime

# Cleaning windows

# Tell me, what's my line?

# I'm happy cleaning windows

# Well, I take my time

# I'll see you when my love grows

# Baby, don't let it slide

# I'm a working man in my prime

# When I'm cleaning windows

# When I'm cleaning windows When I'm cleaning windows

# When I'm cleaning windows

# When I'm cleaning windows

# When I'm cleaning windows

# We were singing be-bop-a-lula When I say

# Good golly, Miss Molly

# Tutti-frutti Whole lot of shakin' goin' on

# Boppin' the blues

# Be-bop-a-lula, tell me what I say

# Good golly, Miss Molly

# Tutti-frutti Whole lot of shakin' goin' on

# Boppin' the blues

# Boppin' the blues Boppin' the blues

# Be-bop-a-lula

# She's my baby

# Don't leave, baby

# Well, be-bop-a-lula

# She's my baby

# Don't leave, baby

# Don't leave, baby

# Be-bop-a-lula, she's my baby

# That's it, bop-bop! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# When it's not always raining

# There'll be days like this

# When there's no-one complaining

# There'll be days like this

# When everything fits into place

# Like the flick of a switch

# Well, my mama told me

# There'll be days like this

# When you don't need an answer

# There'll be days like this

# When you don't meet a chancer

# There'll be days like this

# When all the parts of the puzzle seem to look

# Like they might fit

# Then I must remember

# There'll be days like this

# When no-one steps on your dreams

# There'll be days like this

# When people understand what you mean

# There'll be days like this

# Keep on ringing out the changes

# Just the way everything is

# Well, my mama told me

# There'll be days like this

# When nobody steps on my dreams

# There'll be days like this

# When people understand what I mean

# There'll be days like this

# When I ring out the changes Just the way everything is

# Well, my mama told me one day

# There'll be days like this...

HE SCATS

# Days like this...

HE SCATS

# Days like this...

HE SCATS

# Oh, my mama said one day

# There'll be days like this

# Oh, she said you must remember

# There'll be days like this. # CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Precious Time, here we go. One, two, three...

# Precious time is slipping away

# You know he's only king for a day

# It doesn't matter to which god you pray

# Because precious time is slipping away

# It doesn't matter what route you take

# Sooner or later your heart's going to break

# There's no rhyme or reason No master plan

# No nirvana, no promised land

# Precious time is slipping away

# You know, he's only king for a day

# Doesn't matter to which god you pray

# Because precious time is slipping away

# Que sera sera, whatever will be

# Keep on searching for immortality

# She's so beautiful but she's going to die some day

# Cos everything in life just passes away

# Precious time is slipping away

# You know, she's only queen for a day

# It doesn't matter to which god you pray

# Because precious time is slipping away

# Well, this world is cruel with its twists and turns

# The fire's still living and the passion it burns

# I love a melody till the day I die

# Till hell freezes over and the rivers run dry

# Precious time is slipping away

# You know, she's only queen for a day

# Doesn't matter to which god you pray

# Because precious time is slipping away

# Ba-ba, da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da-da

# Ba-ba, da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da-da

# Ba-ba, da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da-da

# Dup-da-dup

# Da-da-da-da. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# I'm a long way Long way from my home

# Sometimes I wish I could fly

# Like a bird up in the sky

# Oh, sometimes I wish I could fly

# Like a bird up in the sky

# Sometimes I wish I could fly

# Like a bird up in the sky

# So far away

# Far away from my home

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# Such a long way

# Long way from home

# Oh, sometimes I feel like

# Freedom is near

# Sometimes it feels like

# Freedom is here

# Sometimes I feel

# Like freedom is so near

# But we're so far

# So far away from home

# Sometimes I feel like

# A motherless child

# Oh, sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# Sometimes I feel

# Like a motherless child

# And I'm a long way

# Long way

# Cos I'm a long way from my home

# Cos I'm a long way

# Long way, long way from home

# I'm a long way

# Long way from home. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Baby, please don't go

# Baby, please don't go

# Baby, please don't go down to New Orleans

# You know I love you so, baby Please don't go

# Well, your mind done gone

# Well, your mind done gone

# Well, your mind done gone

# Left the county farm You had the shackles on

# Baby, please don't go

# Before I be your dog

# Before I be your dog

# Before I be your dog To get you way down here

# I make you walk alone Baby, please don't go

# Well, all right

# Yeah

# Know how I feel right now

# My baby leavin'

# On that midnight train

# And I'm cryin'

# Cos it runs right past

# Runs right past

# Parchman Farm

# Parchman Farm

# Parchman Farm

# Parchman Farm... #

This is a song by Mose Allison.

# Well, I'm sittin' over here on Parchman Farm

# Well, I'm sittin' over here on Parchman Farm

# Well, I'm sittin' over here on Parchman Farm

# And I ain't never done no man no harm

# Well, I'm puttin' that cotton in an eleven foot sack

# Well, I'm puttin' that cotton in an eleven foot sack

# Well, I'm puttin' that cotton in an eleven foot sack

# With a twelve-gauge shotgun at my back

# Yeah

# I'm gonna be on this farm

# For the rest of my life... #

I can't believe you're sitting there.

You're a sitting duck.

LAUGHTER

# I'm gonna be on this farm

# For the rest of my life

# Gonna be on this farm for the rest of my life

# All I did was shoot my wife... #

This is for the guy in the front row.

LAUGHTER

One time.

Two times.

Is that enough, do you reckon?

-AUDIENCE:

-No!

-No?

You're getting into this one.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# You ain't never had to cry, baby Don't start cryin' now

# You ain't never had to cry, baby Don't start cryin' now

# Never done it before Don't do you know good no how

# Well, you brag about your woman Take one look at mine

# Well, you brag about your woman Take one look at mine

# She's as sweet as any angel Make love most all the time

# Cry, cry, baby Cry, cry, all night long

# Cry, cry, baby, Cry, cry, all night long

# When you wake up in the morning You'll find your good man gone

# Bap, bap, bap, bap

# Bap, bap

# I sent for you yesterday Then you came today

# Sent for you yesterday Then you came walking in today

# You had a mouth full of mojo And don't know what to say

# You ain't never had to cry, baby Don't start cryin' now

# You ain't never had to cry, baby Don't start cryin' now

# You never done it before Don't do you know good no how

# Cry, cry, baby Cry, cry, all night long

# You gonna cry, cry, baby Cry, cry, all night long

# You're gonna wake up in the mornin' And find your good man gone. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Many a tear has to fall

# Oh, but it's all in the game

# All in the, all in the All in the

# All in the wonderful game

# Oh, baby

# That we know

# Love, love, love, love

# And you and you and you and you

# Had words

# Words with him

# And your future's looking dim

# But these things your heart

# But these things your heart

# Must rise above

# Once in a while He won't call

# But it's all in the game

# All in the game

# Soon he'll be standing by

# Standing by your door

# With a sweet bouquet

# And he will and he will and he will and he will and he will

# And he will

# Kiss your lips

# Caress, caress, caress

# Caress your fingertips

# You will feel like

# Something else

# Is going on

# Yeah, yeah

# Once in a while... #

I don't wanna call. Nobody calls me.

Nobody calls me, so I don't call them back. Do you?

# But soon he'll be standing by your door

# Standing by your door

# With a sweet bouquet

# And he will and he will and he will and he will

# Kiss your lips

# Caress, caress, caress, caress

# Caress your waiting fingertips

# He will feel like

# 99 and a half

# Can't be that bad

# You know what

# You know what

# You know what the poets

# Are writing about

# You know what

# They're talking about

# Thing called love down through the ages

# Make you wanna cry sometimes

# Sometimes you feel like

# You want to lie down and die

# Sometimes

# But when you really get into it

# When you really get into it

# Lifts you right up

# When you're really getting in

# Meet me down

# Meet me down by the river

# Meet me down by the water

# Meet me down by the river

# There's no turning back

# There's no turning back

# Meet me down

# By the river. #

# Wanna take you down

# To the burning ground

# Change you up

# Turn you around

# And the wind and rain gonna see you again

# And the morning sun

# And when the day is done

# And you take my hand and you walk with me

# Sometimes it feels like eternity

# And you make me proud

# When you say it out loud

# That you'd take me down

# That you'd take me down

# To the burning ground

# Then I'd take you down

# To my factory

# So you like

# You have to be

# Get you to understand

# How my work gets done

# You watch me pick up a sack

# In the midday sun

# Then I pull you through

# By the skin of your teeth

# Then we lift the veil

# See what's underneath

# Then you return to me

# And I slide on my throne

# But you make me feel

# Like I'm not alone

# So, Daddy, take me down

# To the burning ground

# Daddy, take me down

# To the burning ground

# Then we get down on

# Our knees and pray

# And we catch our breath

# And we're running away, ha!

# And we catch our breath

# And we're running away

# And I sync my head

# Turn it around as I watch the flames

# From the burning ground

# From the burning ground

# And we take our heavy load

# Heavy load

# Up on the hillside

# And we'll throw it down

# Take our heavy load

# Carrying a heavy load

# And we'll throw it down

# To the burning ground

# It's on the burning ground

# It's on the burning ground

# It's on the burning ground

# Yeah, it's on the burning ground

# On the burning ground

# Oh, child

# On the burning ground

# Take my hand and he walked with me

# Sometimes it feels like eternity

# And you make me proud

# When you say it out loud

# Burning ground

-# And it takes me down

-Burning ground

# And it takes me down

# Burning ground

# And it takes me down, please

-# Burning ground

-Please

# Please, Daddy, take me down

# Please

-# Please, Daddy, take me down

-Burning ground

# Please, please, Daddy, take me down

# Please, Daddy

# Please, Daddy, please, please

-# Please, Daddy, take me down

-Burning ground

# Take me down

-# I wanna go with you

-Burning ground

# I wanna go with you to the burning ground

# To the burning ground

# To the burning ground... #

A big hand for the band.

# To the burning ground... #

Sir Van Morrison!

# Burning ground

# Burning ground

# Burning ground

# Burning ground

# Burning ground

# Burning ground

# Burning ground

# Burning ground. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Whenever God shines his light on me

# Opens up my eyes

# So I can see

# When I look up in the darkest night

# I know everything's going to be all right

# In deep confusion

# And in great despair

# When I reach out for him

# He is always there

# And when I am lonely as I can be

# I know that God shines his light on me

# Reach out for him

-# He'll be there

-He'll be there

# With him your troubles

-# You can share

-You can share

-# If you live

-If you live

-# The life you love

-Life you love

-# You'll get the blessing

-The blessing

# From above

# Well, he heals the sick

# And he heals the lame

# Says you can do it too in Jesus' name

# He lifts you up

# And he turns you around

# Puts your feet back on higher ground

# Da-dum, da-dum, da-da dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da-da dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da-da dum

# Da-dum, da-dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da-da dum Da-dum, da-dum, da-da dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da-da dum

# Da-dum, da-dum

# Reach out for him

-# He'll be there

-He'll be there

-# With him your troubles

-Oh, your troubles

-# You can share

-You can share

-# If you live

-If you live

-# The life you love

-The life you love

-# You'll get the blessing

-Oh, the blessing

# From above

# He heals the sick and he heals the lame

# Says you can do it too

# In Jesus' name

# And he lifts you up

# And he turns you around

# And he puts your feet back

# On higher ground

# Da-dum, da-dum, da da-dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da da-dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da da, da da da-dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da da-dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da da-dum

# Da-dum, da-dum, da da

# Dum dum dum. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# And we'll walk down the avenue again

# And we'll sing all the songs from way back when

# And we'll walk down the avenue again

# When the healing has begun

# And we'll walk down the avenue in style

# And we'll walk down the avenue and smile

# And we'll say Baby, ain't it all worthwhile?

# When the healing has begun

# And stay out, stay out all night long

# And we're gonna go roaming, roaming, roaming

# Roaming 'cross the fields

# Baby, you know You know how I feel

# When the healing has begun

# I didn't know you stayed out, stayed out so late

# I just got back from a gig

# And I saw you standing on the street

# Let me ease on up this windowsill a little bit

# Biggest Muddy Waters record you got

# Playing Jimmy Witherspoon singing When The Lights Go Out

# Give me some of that backstreet jellyroll

# When the healing kicks in

# We're gonna stay out all night long

# Then we're gonna go roaming, roaming, roaming, roaming

# Roaming, roaming, roaming, roaming 'cross the fields

# You'll know how I feel when the healing

# Healing has begun

# And the healing is a-ringing in your soul

# That feeling in your heart that grows and grows and grows and grows

# And grows and grows and grows and...

# Came from the backstreet heart and soul

# When the healing has begun

# Let me ease on up just a little bit

# Let me ease on up just a little bit

# Baby, let me ease on up just a little bit

# Dig-a-dig-a-dig-a-dig dig-dig-dig-dig

Dig-a-dig-a-dig-a-dig this backstreet

# Backstreet jellyroll

# Dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig

# Dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig

# Dig-a-dig-a-dig-a-dig # Dig-a-dig-a-dig

# Dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig

# Dig this backstreet jellyroll, so

# Dig this backstreet

# Dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig

# Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig

# Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig

# Backstreet

# Dig this backstreet

# Dig this backstreet jellyroll, so

# When the healing, healing

# Healing has begun

# Dig, dig, dig, dig

# Dig this backstreet jellyroll, so

# When the healing

# When the healing has begun

# When the healing has begun

# When the healing has begun

# When the healing has begun

# Healing has begun

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

GUITAR INTRO

# Take me way back

# Take me way back, baby

CHEERING

# On Hyndford Street

# Where you could feel the silence at half past eleven

# On the long, on the long, cold

# Long, cold summer nights

# And the wireless played Radio Luxembourg

# And the voices echoed

# The voices echoed across Beechie River

# And I kept on dreaming

# Kept on dreaming

# 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

CHEERING

Watching the moth catcher work the floodlights in the evenings

And meeting down by the pylons

Playing round Mrs Kelly's lamp

Going out to Holywood on the bus

Walking from the end of the lines to the seaside

Stopping at Fusco's for ice cream.

Anybody remember Fusco's?

CHEERING Good.

# In the days before

# 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

Jazz and blues records during the day

Also, Debussy on the third programme...

Really.

LAUGHTER Really.

When early morning when contemplation was best...

I can't believe I put that in!

LAUGHTER

Going up the Castlereagh hills and the cregagh glens

In summer and coming back to Hyndford Street

Feeling wondrous and lit up inside.

Yeah, thank you. I wanted to plug the book.

With a sense of everlasting life... Is Dave here?

Dave is selling some books, I think.

Man, I hate show business.

And reading Mr Jelly Roll and Big Bill Broonzy

And Really The Blues by Mezz Mezzrow

And Dharma Bums and On The Road by Jack Kerouac

Over and over and over and over and over again

And it's always being now It's always being now.

# Can you feel the silence?

# Can you feel the silence?

# On Hyndford Street

# Where you could feel the silence

# At half past eleven

# On long summer nights

# And the wireless played

# Radio Luxembourg

# And AFM, and stars of jazz

# And in the silence

# We sank, we sank

# We sank, we sank

# We sank into restful sleep

# And carried on dreaming

# In God

# Kept on dreaming

# Kept on dreaming

# Kept on dreaming, yeah

# In a righteous

# In a righteous place

# In a righteous

# Kept on dreaming

# In God

# In the silence

# We sank in a deep

# In a deep

# In a deep meditation

# In a deep meditation

# And our voices echoed

# Across the river Shhh

# Across the river

# Across the river

# Across the river

# Voices echoed

# Across, across the river

# In the midnight Shhh

# In the midnight hour

# In the midnight

# Yeah, we kept on dreaming

# Yeah

# Ain't it righteous, now?

HE HUMS THE MELODY

# Ain't it righteous, child?

# Child

# Ain't it righteous, child?

# Take me way back

# Take me way back to the now

# Take me back to the now

# And it's always now

# Take me right back to the now

# Back to the now

# Cos the only time it is

# Only time it is is now

# The only time it is is right now, right here, right now

# Right here, right now

# The only time is here, right now

# Time

# Only time

# Only time is here, right now, child

# Right now, child

# Yes, right here, right now

# Only time is now

# In the eternal presence

# In the eternal presence

# Eternal presence

# Only time is now

# Only time is now

# In the eternal presence

# Of the Holy Ghost

# In the eternal presence

# Presence, presence, presence

# Of the Holy Spirit

# Of the Spirit, bring it down

# Bring it down

# Bring it down

# In the presence

# In the presence of the Holy Ghost

# Bring it in, bring it on in

# Bring it on in, bring it in right now

# Cos the only time is now

# Yeah, the only time is now

# Yeah, the eternal presence

# In the eternal presence

# Ain't it righteous, child

# Ain't it righteous, child Ain't it righteous, child

# Ain't it righteous, child

# The only time is now

# The only time is here right now

# Be, be, be here

# Be here now

# Be here now, child

# In the eternal presence

# Be here

# Get here now

# Bring it on in

# Bring it on in Bring it on in

# Bring it in

# Bring it on in

# Bring it, bring it

# Bring it on in

# Put it in, get it in

# Bring it in right now

# Bring it in right now

# Ain't it righteous...

Ladies and gentlemen, Sir Van Morrison!

APPLAUSE # Ain't it righteous

# Ain't it righteous

# Bring it in

# Bring it in. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

MUSIC BUILDS TO CRESCENDO

MUSIC STOPS

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE