This is clearly biographical and focussed on his late father George who worked in the Belfast shipyard and covers a journey to the United States to start a new life which didn't really work out. Whether he chopped wood as a sideline to the day job - who knows. Van showed a deep respect for his dad and as the song says about him, "you did just the best that you could". I think he died around 1989. Another Van song, "Memories" was allegedly about his father but that is pure speculation.
This is clearly biographical and focussed on his late father George who worked in the Belfast shipyard and covers a journey to the United States to start a new life which didn't really work out. Whether he chopped wood as a sideline to the day job - who knows. Van showed a deep respect for his dad and as the song says about him, "you did just the best that you could". I think he died around 1989. Another Van song, "Memories" was allegedly about his father but that is pure speculation.
@robertcousins I love this rare Van bit of family autobiography - Choppin' Wood refers to playing music/jamming (?)
@robertcousins I love this rare Van bit of family autobiography - Choppin' Wood refers to playing music/jamming (?)