1229 – Van Morrison – Saint Dominic's preview (1972)

 

Escrita por Van Morrison, foi gravada em abril de 1972 e lançada em julho de 1972 no disco de mesmo nome. Depois saiu em compacto com Redwood tree como Lado A É uma das canções que fala do The Troubles, o conflito etnico da Irlanda do Norte, que durou três décadas. Fala também da vida de Morrison antes da fama, limpando janelas.

Várias palavras foram difíceis de identificar quando a música saiu. Ele usa “Chamois” pra descrever o couro usado pra limpar as janelas. Com isso ele faz link com a catedral de Notre Dame e a cantora Edith Piaf.

Van Morrison cantou e tocou guitarra. Jules Broussard tocou sa tenor. Bill Church tocou baixo. Gary Mallaber tocou bateria. John McFee tocou steel guitar. Doug Messenger tocou guitarra. Pat O'Hara tocou trombone. Janet Planet, Ellen Schroer e Mark Springer fizeram backing vocals. Tom Salisbury tocou piano e Jack Schroer tocou sax alto e baritono.

A letra:

Chamois cleaning all the windows
Singing songs about Edith Piaf's soul
And I hear blue strains of no regredion
Across the street from Cathedral Notre Dame

Meanwhile back in San Francisco
We're trying hard to make this whole thing blend
As we sit upon this jagged
Storey block, with you my friend

And it's a long way to Buffalo
It's a long way to Belfast city too
And I'm hoping the choice won't blow the hoist
'Cos this town, they bit off more than they can chew

As we gaze out on, as we gaze out on
As we gaze out on, as we gaze out on
Saint Dominic's preview, Saint Dominic's preview
Saint Dominic's preview

All the orange boxes are scattered
We get to Safeway's supermarket in the rain
And everybody feels so determined
Not to feel anyone else's pain

You know that no one's making no commitments
To anybody but themselves
Hidin' behind closed doorways
Tryin' to get outside, outside of empty shells

And for every cross-cuttin' country corner
For every Hank Williams railroad train that cried
And all the chains, badges, flags and emblems
And every strain on every brain and every eye [unverified]

As we gaze out on, as we gaze out on
As we gaze out on, as we gaze out on
Saint Dominic's preview, Saint Dominic's preview
Saint Dominic's preview

And the restaurant tables are completely covered
The record company has paid out for the wine
You got everything in the world you ever wanted
Right about now your face should wear a smile

That's the way it all should happen
When you're in, when you're in the state you're in
You've got your pen and notebook ready
I think it's about time, time for us to begin

And we're over in a 52nd Street apartment
Socializing with the whino few
Just to be hip and get wet with the jet set
But they're flying too high to see my point of view

As we gaze out on, as we gaze out on
As we gaze out on, as we gaze out on
Saint Dominic's preview, Saint Dominic's preview
Saint Dominic's preview

See them freedom marching
Out on the street, freedom marching
Saint Dominic's preview

A versão de Van Morrison:

A versão de Jealous of the Birds:

A versão de Slow Train: