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Ice-Cream Van Lyrics
There’s a storm on the horizon
And for that I can’t see the sun
For I’ll keep a waiting on the pavement
For the ice-cream van to come
Its die hard hate to follow
And I’ll not follow that
The marching people running round my head
Running round my head I don’t know why
Why can’t we see
Straight through the powers that be
Who keep us breaking each others hearts
And keeping us apart, keeping us apart
Destroying the ground where gruesome lays
Sectarianism and the hurtful racist ways
Bring back the glory days
Active citizenship
And pure community
Freedom of faith
There’s a storm on the horizon…
And for that I can’t see the sun
For I’ll keep a waiting on the pavement
For the ice-cream van to come
And I’ll not follow that
The marching people running round my head
Running round my head I don’t know why
Straight through the powers that be
Who keep us breaking each others hearts
And keeping us apart, keeping us apart
Sectarianism and the hurtful racist ways
Bring back the glory days
Active citizenship
And pure community
Freedom of faith
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Saw the song first time at gig in Leicester and it immediately caught me - thought it was fantastic. Clearly its about the decline of modern society, the best passage for me being..
"Active citizenship And pure community Freedom of faith"
Spot on Shankly.
My view is that it is a powerful statement against the hatred and distrust (racism and religious intolerance) found in our communities which is fed and stoked by the sinister self interested powers that be - politicians, leaders, the business community and beyond.
A call to arms - free yourself from this tyranny
Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it. Martin Luther King
Jeezo I've totally over intellectualized this!!!
Sorry guys I have to disagree. Glasvegas are (obviously) from Glasgow, a town with pretty noticeable Catholic v. Protestant tensions. The song mentions "Sectarianism and the hateful racist ways".
I actually think its written from the point of view of a Glaswegian kid who's Ice Cream Van won't come because of a sectarian march. "The storm" is the march. Later on he mentions the marching people running round his head and doesn't know why.
Thats my interpretation anyways.
Agree with Seanmc22. Almost definitly about an orange walk.
I'm pretty sure youre both right, seanmc22 yeah it is written from a kids point of view, waiting for an actual ice cream van to come, but at the same time, that is also a metaphor for pretty much what the first 2 comments said. I think the ice cream van bit is him using his own experience as a kid to get across his point.
Give the song writer some credit here, he can write a song thats a story but with a meaning to it too.
Most of his songs are based on Glasgow life, so don't see this as being any different. Being brought up in Maryhill in the 70's I have experienced this exact scenario. When the Orange Walk came down Maryhill Road our street emptied and being the only Catholic, it was time for me to go home as their attitude towards me would change upon their return