In a 1984 interview, Morrison recalls that he took a cue for the first line from the following incident: “I picked up the phone and the operator said, “You have a phone call from Oregon. It’s Mister So-and-So.” It was a guy from the group Them. And then there was nobody on the other end. So out of that I started writing, “I can hear Them calling, ‘way from Oregon.” That’s where that came from.”[2]

The song is written in a stream of consciousness style of writing and was recorded live except for one high part on a moog synthesizer (played by Bernie Krause of “Space Odyssey” with the Byrds fame). Morrison said he had “asked Krause to do this thing of China Town and then come in with the high part because I was thinking of dragons and fireworks.” It has been said to be a sequel to “Madame George”, although Morrison has said that was not his concept.[3]

References

* Flanagan, Bill (1986). Written In My Soul. Contemporary Books, Inc. ISBN 0-8092-5153-1.
* Hinton, Brian (2000). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
* Yorke, Ritchie (1975). Into The Music, London:Charisma Books , ISBN 0-85947-013-X

Almost Independence Day
by Van Morrison

I can hear them calling way from Oregon
I can hear them calling way from Oregon
And it’s almost Independence Day

Me and my lady, we go steppin’ (we go steppin’)
We go steppin’ way out on China town
All to buy some Hong Kong silver
And the wadin’ rushing river (we go steppin’)
We go out on the, out on the town tonight

I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the fireworks
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay
I can hear them echoing
I can hear, I can hear them echoing
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay

I can see the boats in the harbor (way across the harbor)
Lights shining out (lights shining out)
And a cool, cool night
And a cool, cool night across the harbor
I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the people, people shouting out
I can hear the people shouting out (up and down the line)
And it’s almost Independence Day

I can see the lights way out in the harbor
And the cool, and the cool, and the cool night
And the cool, and the cool, and the cool night breeze
And I feel the cool night breeze
And I feel, feel, feel the cool night breeze
And the boats go by
And it’s almost Independence Day
And it’s almost, and it’s almost Independence Day

Way up and down the line
Way up and down the line…

Now tell me, who do you belong to?
I’m sure that it’s not yourself
Who do you sing love songs to?
‘Cause you sing ‘em all day long
But that’s not your voice as far as I can tell

“Well, you’re on your own this time,”
The doctor said to the dying man
And honey, that’s just the way you make me feel
Each time you let go of my hand!
Why did you let go of my hand?

And so who do you belong to?
I’m sure it’s not yourself
Who do you sing love songs to
‘Cause you sing ‘em all day long
But that’s not your voice
Not as far as I can tell

Honey I saw you looking in the mirror
And you acted so surprised
Each time I think I’m going to get near you
You always close your eyes
Well you always close your eyes
That’s right

So tell me who do you belong to?
I’m sure it’s not yourself
Who do you sing love songs to
‘Cause you sing ‘em all day long
But that’s not your voice, not as far as I can tell

Bad blood flows out and never stops
It turns the Bridge between us into sand
Last night your best friend called the cops on me
Then she laid the receiver in your hand
She laid it right into your hand!
Alright

So I’m asking who do you belong to?
I’m sure it’s not yourself
Who do you sing love songs to
‘Cause you sing ‘em all day long
But that’s not your voice
Not as far as I can tell
Baby that’s not your voice,
Not as far as I can tell

A friend of mine called me up today
Said I didn’t want to but I couldn’t stay
I had to leave her now don’t you know
Won’t somebody please tell me
Where the loving goes?

So you stare at the walls
‘Cause there’s nothing that you can do
Except wait and wonder
Who will make the first move

Where does it go when it goes away?
I hear about it just about everyday
Nobody’s ever given me a clue
Won’t somebody please tell me
What I’m supposed to do?

Called a friend of mine up today
Said she didn’t want to but she couldn’t stay
She had to leave me now don’t you know
Won’t somebody please tell me
Where the loving goes?

Where does it go when It goes away?
Where does it go when It goes away?

Michael Houser – lead vocal/guitars
John Keane – bass/organ/backup vocals
Andrew Hanmer – drums
Domingo Ortiz – percussion

-Dgold

Lyrics by Drew Emmitt
Song by Leftover Salmon
THIS IS THE TIME (a.k.a. the BRIDGE)
[Source: Euphoria, Transcribed by: Bryant Vann]

This isn’t a time for giving up. This is the time to be strong.
I know life is never easy, when you’re holding out so long.
I know that we can make it, with a little bit of faith to get us by.
This isn’t the time or faking. This is the time for us to fly.
This isn’t the time for faking. This is the time for us to fly.

This isn’t the time for fighting. This is the time for peace.
Whether you’re on the left or on the right wing, this is the time for release.
We don’t have time to count our mistakes. We can leave them in the past.
This isn’t the time for keeping score. It’s time to make the moment last.
This isn’t the time for keeping score. It’s time to make the moment last.

This isn’t the time for losing hope. This is the time to lean.
Well I know we can find our way if you’re ready to receive.
There’s always so much to learn, as you wander through this life.
And timing is everything. This is the time, the night.
Timing is everything. This is the time, the night.

This is the time, the night. This is the time, the night.
This is the time, the night. This is the time, the night.

Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh. This is the time, the night.
This is the time, night. Oooh, oooh, oooh.
This is the time, night.

On the Live Version Drew goes into “Drift Away” for a minute here

Gimme the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock’n'roll
and drift away

Gimme the beat, boys, free my soul
Free my soul, wanna free my soul!
Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh. This is the time of night.
This is the time, the night. Oooh, whoa oh
This is the time, night.

She’ll steal your imagination,
She’ll put it in her pocket
With a twinkle in your eyes,
She’ll make you feel that you were only hers to hypnotize

She’ll steal your imagination,
She’ll take away your dreams,
She’ll send you on your way,
Leavin’ you without a thing to say…

She’ll steal your imagination
She’ll fill you up with butane
And she’ll kindly light a match
She’ll tear apart the world to which you’ve become attached

She’ll steal your imagination
She’ll take away your dreams
And she’ll send you on your way!
Leaving you without a thing to say

But…
Fe fi filly oh my yeah.