One of Van's great songs. His Dad was an electrician on the Belfast docks and this song celebrates both father and son relationships and the expectation of working class life - hard physical work. The burning ground was just an area of the docks where they burnt rubbish.
I think the song's about knowing your place and belonging to somewhere. The song describes his Dad leaving the house early and returning late, working in all kinds of weather. His Dad takes Van down to his workplace and shows him the world of work. As a young lad this is where Van expects he will work when he gets older. Van has pride in his roots, he can "turn the tide" and look back at a secure childhood.
I think the song also goes into Van letting his Dad glimpse into his own world of work when he's much older, and here the burning ground is just a metaphor for a place of hard work. The song switches from the passionate remembrance of youth into a wonderful joke of musicians bitching about the 'hard labour' of studio work - slacking off from lugging jute sacks by dumping them on their burning ground.
And then it gets serious again as Van talks of his own father's passing, switching perspectives as he does so (I/you/he), remembering those days of his Belfast youth in the security of his father's company.
@Paega My wife and I saw Van perform this at the Hollywood Bowl about 4-5 years ago. He closed the show with him and Tom Jones jamming on this song. It was amazing, especially for me since I had never heard the song before. Thank you for such an inspiring comment.
@Paega My wife and I saw Van perform this at the Hollywood Bowl about 4-5 years ago. He closed the show with him and Tom Jones jamming on this song. It was amazing, especially for me since I had never heard the song before. Thank you for such an inspiring comment.
One of Van's great songs. His Dad was an electrician on the Belfast docks and this song celebrates both father and son relationships and the expectation of working class life - hard physical work. The burning ground was just an area of the docks where they burnt rubbish.
I think the song's about knowing your place and belonging to somewhere. The song describes his Dad leaving the house early and returning late, working in all kinds of weather. His Dad takes Van down to his workplace and shows him the world of work. As a young lad this is where Van expects he will work when he gets older. Van has pride in his roots, he can "turn the tide" and look back at a secure childhood.
I think the song also goes into Van letting his Dad glimpse into his own world of work when he's much older, and here the burning ground is just a metaphor for a place of hard work. The song switches from the passionate remembrance of youth into a wonderful joke of musicians bitching about the 'hard labour' of studio work - slacking off from lugging jute sacks by dumping them on their burning ground.
And then it gets serious again as Van talks of his own father's passing, switching perspectives as he does so (I/you/he), remembering those days of his Belfast youth in the security of his father's company.
@Paega My wife and I saw Van perform this at the Hollywood Bowl about 4-5 years ago. He closed the show with him and Tom Jones jamming on this song. It was amazing, especially for me since I had never heard the song before. Thank you for such an inspiring comment.
@Paega My wife and I saw Van perform this at the Hollywood Bowl about 4-5 years ago. He closed the show with him and Tom Jones jamming on this song. It was amazing, especially for me since I had never heard the song before. Thank you for such an inspiring comment.