Van Morrison

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Now listen, Julie baby
It ain't natural for you to cry in the midnight
Ain't natural for you to cry way into midnight through
Until the wee small hours long 'fore the break of dawn
Oh Lord
Now Julie, an' there ain't nothin' on my mind
More further 'way than what you're lookin' for
I see the way you jumped at me, Lord, from behind the door
And looked into my eyes
Your little star struck innuendos
Inadequacies an' foreign bodies
And the sunlight shining through the crack in the window pane
Numbs my brain
And the sunlight shining through the crack in the window pane
Numbs my brain, oh Lord
So open up the window and let me breathe
I said, open up the window and let me breathe
I'm looking down to the street below, Lord, I cried for you
I cried, I cried for you, oh Lord

[Chorus]
The cool room, Lord is a fool's room
The cool room, Lord is a fool's room
And I can almost smell your T.B. sheets
And I can almost smell your T.B. sheets
On your sick bed
I gotta go, I gotta go
[Verse 2]
And you said, "Please stay, I wanna, I wanna
I wanna drink of water, I wanna drink of water
Go in the kitchen get me a drink of water"
I said, "I gotta go, I gotta go, baby"
I said, "I'll send, I'll send somebody around later
You know we got John comin' around here later
With a bottle of wine for you, baby, but I gotta go"

[Chorus]
The cool room, Lord is a fool's room
The cool room, Lord, Lord is a fool's room, a fool's room
And I can almost smell your T.B. sheets
I can almost smell your T.B. sheets, T.B
I gotta go


[Verse 3]
I'll send around, send around one that grumbles later on, babe
See what I can pick up for you, you know that
Yeah, I got a few things gotta do
Don't worry about it, don't worry about it, don't worry
Go, go, go, I've gotta go, gotta go, gotta, gotta go
Gotta go, gotta go, all right, all right
I turned on the radio
If you wanna hear a few tunes, I'll turn on the radio for you
There you go, there you go, there you go baby, there you go
You'll be all right, too, yeah
I know it ain't funny, it ain't runny at all, baby
Always laying in the cool room, man, laying in the cool roomEmbed

If you're a fan of bluesy rock, you've probably already heard of Van Morrison. T.B. Sheets is one of his famous tracks that still touches the soul with its haunting melody and emotionally charged lyrics. As someone who's a music expert and has been in the industry for over 20 years, I can confidently say that this song still remains a fan favorite for its timeless appeal.

About T.B. Sheets

Released in 1967, T.B. Sheets is the third track on Van Morrison’s debut solo LP “Blowin' Your Mind!”. The song tells a heart-wrenching story of a sick woman lying in bed, dying of tuberculosis. Morrison’s soulful voice brings out the pain and despair felt by the patient, and you can feel her suffering with every line he sings.

What's more interesting about this song is the emotional connection Morrison himself had to it. As the story goes, he reportedly broke down in tears after recording the song, and the rest of the day’s session had to be cancelled. The raw emotion and vulnerability in the song is something that's easy to connect with, and it's not hard to see why fans have held it so close to their hearts for all these years.

One of the most fascinating aspects of T.B. Sheets is the way Morrison uses his voice to emote the despair felt by the woman in the song. The song starts with a soft acoustic guitar strumming gently in the background. As it progresses, Morrison's voice becomes more intense and emotional, bringing to life the raw pain felt by the woman. There's a certain rawness to the song that makes it feel like you're right there with the dying woman, experiencing the fear, pain, and sadness right alongside her.

The lyrics of T.B. Sheets are another element that makes this song stand out. Morrison's storytelling is vivid, and you can almost see the woman lying in bed, waiting for death to take her away. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of illness and death, with lines like "I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles, and the heavens open every time she smiles" and "Now she's lying in the bed, and there's nothing in her head except a bucket full of tears, and she cried for a hundred years."

Despite the bleakness of the subject matter, there's a certain beauty to the song. The melody is hauntingly beautiful, and Morrison's voice adds a layer of depth and emotion that's hard to find in other songs. It's a song that captures the raw pain of losing someone you love and the struggle to come to terms with it.

Concluding thoughts

In a genre that's known for its rawness and authenticity, T.B. Sheets stands out for its emotional intensity and storytelling. Morrison's powerful voice, coupled with the haunting melody, creates an atmosphere that draws the listener in and makes them feel the pain and suffering of the dying woman. It's not an easy song to listen to, but it's one that will stay with you long after you've listened to it.

As someone who's been a music expert for over 20 years, I can safely say that T.B. Sheets is a timeless classic that still resonates with music lovers today. If you're looking for a song that's both beautiful and emotionally charged, T.B. Sheets should be at the top of your playlist.

• Release Date: September 1967
• Artist: Van Morrison