- Redwood Tree
Infobox Single
Name = Redwood Tree
Caption =
Artist =Van Morrison
from Album =Saint Dominic's Preview
A-side = "Redwood Tree "
B-side = "Saint Dominic's Preview"
Released = 1972
Format =
Recorded = Winter/Spring 1972
Genre =Folk rock , R&B
Length = 3:01
Label =Warner Bros. Records
Writer =Van Morrison
Producer = Van Morrison
Certification =
Chart position = * #98 U.S.
Last single ="Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile) " (1972)
This single ="Redwood Tree " (1972)
Next single ="Gypsy" (1973)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album =Saint Dominic's Preview
Type = studio
prev_track = "Saint Dominic's Preview"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "Redwood Tree "
track_no = 6
next_track = "Almost Independence Day "
next_no = 7"Redwood Tree" is the sixth song onNorthern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison 's 1972 album, "Saint Dominic's Preview ". It was released as a single and charted at #98 on theUS Hot 100 . It was not as successful a single as anticipated when reviewed by Rolling Stone for the album: "The affirmation of "Saint Dominic's Preview" is translated to the past in 'Redwood Tree', an ecstatic boyhood reminiscence centering on the image of a sheltering redwood tree. This beautiful, sensuous cut has the album's greatest potential as a hit single." [cite web |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/186447/review/5945763|title=Van Morrison:Saint Dominic's Review|publisher=rollingstone.com|author=Stephen Holden |date=1972-08-31|accessdate=2008-08-08]Biographer Johnny Rogan believes "Redwood Tree enshrined the beauty of Marin county." [Rogan, No Surrender, p.275] John Collis describes the song as "A charming if somewhat folksy reminder of Morrison's interest in country music at the time." [Collis, Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, p.132] Another biographer, Brian Hinton remarks: [Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p.143]
'Redwood Tree' is a song of reconciliation, which seems to graft Van's Belfast childhood onto California, where redwoods actually grow, "Keep us from all harm", an invocation to the spirit of the ancient wood.
Personnel on the original release
*
Van Morrison -vocal s,rhythm guitar
*Jules Broussard -tenor saxophone
*Bill Church - bass
*Gary Mallaber - drums
*Doug Messenger -guitar
*Janet Planet - backing vocals
*Tom Saisbury -piano
*Ellen Schroer - backing vocals
*Jack Schroer - alto andbaritone saxophone s
*Mark Springer - backing vocalsNotes
References
*Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Little Brown and Company, ISBN 0-306-80811-0
*Hinton, Brian (1997). "Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison", Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
*Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison:No Surrender, London:Vintage Books ISBN 9780099431831External links
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio samples] 1970s, Saint Dominic's Preview
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