Cleaning Windows

This song is obviously recreating a memory for Van, before the fame, the adulations, and becoming who he wanted to be. its clearly painting a picture for the listener, what he's life was like, and in that regard its lovely and honest music.

Now, when it comes to the meaning of this song, it is hauntingly beautiful. Saying that cleaning windows is anyones dream would be a flat out lie, and thats why we get the "whats my line" like hes in a play.. ah, yes, thats what he was supposed to say: "im happy cleaning windows". he has to remind himself that hes happy doing what he does. But, he's also saying that he takes his time, and he'll see you when his love grows. Well, he has a goal to become a musician, but he's in no rush, he'll meet his success in music, when his increasing love/dedication for it makes it inevitable.

"Babe, dont let it slide, im a working man in my prime" - he reminds himself to have faith in his journey. Telling his love, (music in this case, wich he calls babe) that it shouldnt let this oppurtunity slide, hes a working man in his prime. Confidence, hes the right person for the job, music better recognize it.

He also brings up musical influences, and books on zen. Stating again the interest in music, and trying to find peace in the journey. There is also enjoyment where hes at, the bakery, the saxophone, the memories, they are looked back at fondly.

Making this song a tribute to the process, and most importantly, enjoying the process of acheiving any goal in life. Thats why the tune is so cheerful, because enjoying the process and patience, is the most important thing. Its almost like its saying to you, the listener, that you should enjoy the process of whatever your goal is right now!

One of my favorite tunes ever!

Now, the numbers, 36 and 126, they can be just numbers on the windows/street/flat(counting). They dont need to be anything else.

Had a hard time finding any other reason behind them, but why say such random numbers in the first place?

I found something that would make somewhat sense: Van was very spiritual in his lyrics throughout the 70's and 80's, and has many songs influenced by this(full force gale, dweller on the threshold, when god shines his light), so he could be refering to something biblical.

Psalm 126 (at the very end, when the picture is painted) - it employs a methaphor for saying that God makes joy out of sorrow, laughter out of tears, etc. So it might be a reference to that God is within this process, or enjoying the process, is enjoying what god has made, a beautiful struggle.

Psalm 36 (after the first chorus) - is basicly saying you should trust in gods enduring love and justice, or he takes care of those who do. Could be just a reference to having trust.

[Edit: spelling and improvement]

To me, Van is singing about how he's happy day to day, but he's meant for something more. He's reading books about hitting the road and traveling the country, while dreaming of being a musician.

The chorus is key: "What's my line? I'm happy cleaning windows"

• He tells himself and others that he's happy, but it's not the whole story...

"Baby, don't let it slide, I'm a working man in my prime, cleaning windows."

• He's spending the best years of his life cleaning windows, when he should be following his heart and passion. He knows deep down that he's meant for more, but for now, he's happy enough cleaning windows.

I think the message of the song is actually that you DON'T have to feel pressure to follow your dreams or "achieve your potential". I think he's talking about how people expected him to grow into some amazing musician (because he had musical talent), but he unironically was perfectly happy cleaning windows and that there's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone has to "be great" if they can just be happy.

Also, I disagree with the lyrics on here and other sites. I think he says "in a Down joint" (as in a bar in County Down). Firstly, he is from that county. Secondly he references it in another song on the album ["Northern Muse (Solid Ground)"] and thirdly, I don't know what "that down joint" would mean, otherwise.

[Edit: duplicate]

This is a song about 'lateral drift' and how essential it often is to discovering why you've been put on this earth. Van was 15–18 in Belfast when he started a window cleaning service with his friends while playing sax on the weekends. Music was one of his many discoveries back then, along with Zen, Beatnik writers, American Blues, and (presumably) girls. He was a creative sponge, soaking up all these influences while also taking pride in simple manual labor. He offered no apologies for any of this, and shortly after his window cleaning period, music coalesced as his life's focus when he became the frontman for the band Them. But he never forgot his sax, his Zen/mystic studies, the Beat era, or his time as a simple, honest working man... those all made him the multi-faceted man we know.

i luv this song.......it makes think of someone who has a carefree kinda life just cleaning windows(duh) and doin what he wants. I wish my life will be like.

Van spent his early days cleaning windows during the week and whaling on the sax on the weekends, very good way to go, this obvoiusly made him happy as the song is sang so joyful and full of energy, like all van songs the intensity is a 10 even when he is whispering.

Such a joyful song, i discovered it on my locals jukebox. Did he write this while he was still cleaning windows? As long as you're happy thats what matters. Brilliant song.

I like that Van says the smell of the bakery "got in his nose", rather than just saying he smelled something.

I agree that it's about his contentedness simply doing a menial job (cleaning windows) and enjoying music.

He actually says 'number thirty-six'. not 'a hundred and thirty six.