Listen to the Lion

Infobox Song
Name = Listen to the Lion


Caption =
Type =
Artist = Van Morrison
alt Artist =
Album = Saint Dominic's Preview
Published =
Released = July 1972
track_no = 4
Recorded = Spring/Summer 1971
Genre = Folk rock, R&B
Length = 11:08
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 = "Listen to the Lion" is a song featured on the Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison's sixth album "Saint Dominic's Preview" (1972). Its poetic musings and "bass-led shuffle" lead back to Astral Weeks territory. [Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p.141]

Morrison plays guitar along with Ronnie Montrose. Connie Kay (drums on "Astral Weeks") and Gary Mallaber (percussion and vibraphone on "Moondance") are also featured players on this song. Morrison, Montrose and Boots Houston perform the back-up vocals. According to Ritchie Yorke, "Van used his voice so superbly in this track that it seemed to become part of the instrumentation... Van's schooling in the art of R&B repetition was never adapted so perfectly." [Yorke, Into the Music, p. 96]

"Listen to the Lion" has been said to rank amongst Morrison's greatest work. "During the 11-minute voyage, he sings, shouts, improvises lines, delays and omits them, until he symbolically re-creates the sound of an unleashed lion within himself. It remains a considerable achievement." (Johnny Rogan) [Rogan, No Surrender, p. 276]

Live performances by Van Morrison

*Morrison's performance of this song was considered a concert highlight for several years. This song along with "Saint Dominic's Preview", "I Will Be There" and "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" were the only songs from the album that he performed live. Two of these songs were included on the critically acclaimed (1974) album "It's Too Late to Stop Now". After barking out demands for "water" like a dying man, his rendition of "Listen to the Lion" in this live performance ends in hushed quiet (like in a prayer) with an audibly awed audience.

*A live version of "Listen to the Lion" as performed in 1980 is included on the 2006 released DVD, "Live At Montreux 1980/1974".

Appearance on other albums

*It was one of the live performances recorded and included on Morrison's 1974 acclaimed live album, "It's Too Late To Stop Now".
*A live performance of "Listen to the Lion" as performed by Morrison with most of the "Common One" band members is featured on the 2006 released DVD, "Live At Montreux 1980/1974".
*"Listen to the Lion" has been re-mastered in 2007 and included on the limited 3CD edition of the compilation album, "Still on Top - The Greatest Hits".

Personnel on original release

*Van Morrison - vocals, guitar, backing vocals
*Ronnie Montrose - guitar, backing vocals
*Mark Jordan - piano
*Bill Church - bass
*Connie Kay - drums
*Gary Mallaber - percussion, vibraphone
*"Boots" Rolf Houston - 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
*Yorke, Ritchie (1975). Into The Music, London:Charisma Books , ISBN 0-85947-013-X

External links

* [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/186447/review/5945763/saint_dominics_preview Rolling Stone Review-album/songs] Listen to the Lion
* [http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/?m=Content&Content(record_id)=b2950180e54389f3cf9d93ad908ac00e# Lyrics and Audio sample] 1970s, Saint Dominic's Preview

__NOTOC__