Linden Arden stole the highlights
With one hand tied behind his back
Loved the morning sun, and whiskey
Ran like water in his veins
Loved to go to church on Sunday
Even though he was a drinking man
When the boys came to San Francisco
They were looking for his life
But he found out where they were drinking
Met them face to face outside
Cleaved their heads off with a hatchet
Lord, he was a drinkin' man
And when someone tried to get above him
He just took the law into his own hands

Linden Arden stole the highlights
And they put his fingers through the glass
He had heard all those stories many, many times before
And he did not care no more to ask
And he loved the little children like they were his very own
He Said, "Someday it may get lonely."
Now he's livin', livin' with a gun


Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira

Linden Arden Stole the Highlights Lyrics as written by Van Morrison

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Linden Arden Stole The Highlights song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    This has become one of my all-time favorite VM songs. His range in voice, the lyrics, the whole package. Seriously, only Van the Man can include a decapitation in a song and make it lyrical.

    On a broader note: I highly recommend the entire Veedon Fleece album. It doesn't seem to get the respect it deserves and I find it to be an amazing collection of work.

    Ojom88on July 20, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Van Morrison does more for me than any other musician. This song, though it makes little sense overall, means that not everyone is what you think they are.

    wordsforbenon July 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Found this quote which almost explains this amazing, perplexing song: 'Morrison described the anti-hero Linden Arden as being "about an image of an Irish American living in San Francisco - it's really a hard man type of thing, whilst the latter was a song about what it's like when you absolutely cannot trust anybody. Not as in some paranoia, but in reality.'

    deanspeedwellon November 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Question

    Love this song, but what does it mean to steal a highlight?

    stormvilleon August 27, 2023   Link

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