Beside You chords by Van Morrison

This song starts with lyrics evocative of childhood experiencies using poetic imagery about a young boy who wanders through his neighbourhood, and beyond. (The boy's name appears to be an abbreviation of George Ivan Morrison). It probably brings out nostalgia in many of us who meandered similarly. Your present writer, in fact, sees mental images of the railroad along which he wandered, a railroad bridge over a stream, the semi rural countryside. (Research suggests that the bridge referred to in the lyrics of the longer, earlier version of this song is a road bridge going over a railway line in west Belfast). The primary theme metamorhoses into memories of, a grieving for, and a wistful yet resigned acceptance of the loss of, a past love. This transcendence is attained through the songwriter's rationalization that they will be together (he will be beside her) in a unique timeless fantasy, in his imagination, perhaps in his dreams, or even in his afterlife, in eternity. There is a notion that this creation may have been assisted or inspired by Van being in an altered state projected, in the lyrics, onto his lost love.... "......You breathe in you breathe out you breathe in you breathe out and you're high on your high-flyin' cloud wrapped up in your magic shroud as ecstasy surrounds you......" The two themes meld into a mystic fusion of beautiful, powerful, mental images and metaphors which take us to places distant and high, soulful, sad and eternal. The "Astral weeks" version with its abbreviated lyrics, though shorter, has the appeal of studio-slick sound with instrumental support from a sweet guitar, a mellifluous flute, and most of all, indescribably masterful, esoteric vocals from Van himself. Many industry savants and publications have evaluated the "Astral Weeks" album as being among the greatest popular music albums of all time, if not the greatest. The song "Beside You" provides much support to that proposition. An all time favourite for many, including the writer, this is an exceptional composition from a uniquely gifted, legendary musician. GD Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.