Shammy cleaning all the windows
Singing songs about Edith Piaf's soul
And I hear blue strains of no regredior
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
'Cause 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
Against the safeway's supermarket in the rain
And everybody feels so determined
Not to feel anyone else's pain

No one's making no commitments
To anybody but themselves
Talkin' behind closed doorways
Tryin' to get outside, get outside of empty shells

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

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 meanwhile we're over in a 52nd Street apartment
Socializing with the wino 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
Out in the street
Look at the man
Turn around
Come back, come back
Turn around
Look at the man
Says hold on
Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview
Says hold me in
Saint Dominic's Preview


Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira

Saint Dominic's Preview Lyrics as written by Van Morrison

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Saint Dominic's Preview song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    "I'd been working on this song about the scene going down in Belfast. And I wasn't sure what I was writing but anyway 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. Anyway, a few weeks ago I was in Reno for a gig at the University of Nevada. And while we were having dinner I picked up the newspaper and just opened it to a page 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.

    [Q:] What did you end up titling it?

    'St. Dominic's Preview.' You know something? I haven't a clue to what it means."

    rollingstone.com/news/story/5939314/van_morrison_the_rolling_stone_interview/print

    fortmon July 27, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Why is noone commenting on these great great works? Maybe noone is listening to them. It's a shame.

    johnpauljones86on May 03, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I always read the last verse as "I used to be hip, and do it, with the jet set ..." It seemed to fit in much better with the theme of dissolusionment with the trappings of stardom (and the eternal reaching for the Creator)

    ZipperHeadon December 25, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    by the way this song is about when van was in cali, he foudn out about a worship devoted to praying to for peace in Ireland, a very tough thing then and now.

    lunchbox90857on January 25, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Unbelievable imagery - worked in Cali in 1980s, was worked to death, saw the Safeway supermarket etc.. So burnt out went to Paris on break - back in Dublin listened to this - "And I hear blue strains of "no regredior" Across the street from Cathedral Notre Dame. Meanwhile back in San Francisco We're trying hard to make this whole thing blend"

    supernatural psychic predictions

    vasnmoGoon March 23, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    A theme of dissolusionment also with the political situation in Northern-Ireland, which was terrible at the time - “chains, badges, flags and emblems” – refers to - Flags And Emblems Act of 1954 in Northern-Ireland forbade nationalists from outward display of Irish symbols e.g flag of Southern-Ireland.

    It was most couragous of van to write/sing this, as it would be viewed as treachery by his peers in Northern-Ireland - a man before his time, as always.

    vasnmoGoon February 09, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    No regredior ? - No regret,in Piaf's words,'non,je ne regrette rien'

    lunaspieon July 20, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Yes, indeed "Non, je ne regrette rien' as in Piaf. Van was quiet a poet - not so much lately I regrette!

    vasnmoGoon August 01, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    No comment as to St Dominic - Who? Why?

    nagromnaion April 03, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    No comment as to St Dominic - Who? Why?

    nagromnaion April 03, 2008   Link

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