Saint Dominic's Preview (song)

Infobox Song
Name = Saint Dominic's Preview


Caption =
Type =
Artist = Van Morrison
alt Artist =
Album = Saint Dominic's Preview
Published =
Released = July 1972
track_no = 5
Recorded = Winter/Spring 1972
Genre = Folk rock, R&B
Length = 6:30
Writer = Van Morrison
Composer = Van Morrison
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Ted Templeman, Van Morrison
Chart position =
Tracks =
# "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)"
# "Gypsy"
# "I Will Be There"
# "Listen to the Lion"
# "Saint Dominic's Preview"
# "Redwood Tree"
# "Almost Independence Day"
prev =
prev_no =
next =
next_no =
Misc = "Saint Dominic's Preview" is the title song on the 1972 sixth album of Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. This song was also included on Morrison's acclaimed live album, "It's Too Late To Stop Now", released in 1974.

It is said to contain his most Dylanesque lyrics. The words form images but not a complete story as they are mixed with a variety of subjects such as cleaning windows, Edith Piaf's soul, Yeats and Hank Williams. Touching on the Belfast situation at that time (The Troubles), there are references to "orange" boxes, "flags and emblems" and people determined "not to feel anyone else's pain."cite book |author=Hinton |title=Celtic Crossroads |pages=p.142 ]

Perhaps referring to his personal life and successful career at this time in his life are the lines::"All the restaurant tables are completely covered:"And the record company has paid out for the wine:"You got ev'rything in the world you ever wanted:"And right about now your face should wear a smile

Gary Mallaber (from the "Moondance" album) plays drums on this song and Morrison's then wife, Janet Planet, is one of the back-up vocalists.

A re-mastered version of this song is included on the 2007 compilation album, "Still on Top - The Greatest Hits".

Van Morrison on "Saint Dominic's Preview"

Morrison has said the song came to him in a stream of consciousness and that he later picked up a newspaper and read an announcement of a mass that was being held in a St. Dominic's church in San Francisco for peace in Belfast. [Rogan. "No Surrender", p. 274] As he told John Grissim:cite book |author=Hinton |title=Celtic Crossroads |pages=p.142 ]

I'd been working on this song about the scene going down in Belfast. And I wasn't sure what I was writing but the central image seemed to be this church called St Dominic's where people were gathering to pray or hear a mass for peace in Northern Ireland. A few weeks later I was playing at a gig in Reno, Nevada. I picked up a newspaper, and there in front of me was an announcement about a mass for peace in Belfast to be said the next day at St Dominic's Church in San Francisco. Totally blew me out. Like I'd never even heard of a St Dominic's Church.

Appearance on other albums and videos

*It was one of the live performances recorded and included on Morrison's 1974 acclaimed live album, "It's Too Late To Stop Now".
*"Saint Dominic's Preview" has been re-mastered in 2007 and included on the compilation album, "Still on Top - The Greatest Hits".
*"Saint Dominic's Preview" is also one of the songs performed in 1979, on Morrison's first video "Van Morrison in Ireland", released in 1981.

Personnel on original release

*Van Morrison: guitar, vocal
*Jules Broussard: tenor saxophone
*Bill Church: bass
*Gary Mallaber: drums
*John McFee: steel guitar
*Doug Messenger: guitar
*Pat O'Hara: trombone
*Janet Planet: backing vocals
*Tom Salisbury: piano, organ
*Ellen Schroer: backing vocals
*Jack Schroer: alto and baritone saxophones
*Mark Springer: backing vocals

Notes

References

*Hinton, Brian (2000). "Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison", Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
*Rogan, Johnny (2006). "Van Morrison: No Surrender", London: Vintage Books ISBN 9780099431831

External links

* [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/186447/review/5945763/saint_dominics_preview RS Review: album/songs: "Saint Dominic's Preview"]
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio Sample] 1970s, Saint Dominic's Preview
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=bcdf0ba5fecbc0ef8494bf0c7a15c7dc# Video: Saint Dominic's Preview, 1996]