Saint Dominic's Preview
Van Morrison Lyrics

Shammy cleaning all the windows
Someone is cleaning the windows with a shammy.

Singing songs about Edith Piaf's soul
The person singing is singing songs about Edith Piaf's soul.

And I hear blue strains of no regredior
The person hears blue strains of no regredior.

Across the street from Cathedral Notre Dame
The person is across the street from the Cathedral Notre Dame.

Meanwhile back in San Francisco
Meanwhile, in San Francisco...

We're trying hard to make this whole thing blend
We are working hard to make everything work together.

As we sit upon this jagged
As we sit on this jagged surface...

Storey block, with you my friend
We are sitting on a storey block with a friend.

And it's a long way to Buffalo
It is a long distance to Buffalo.

It's a long way to Belfast city too
It is also a long distance to Belfast city.

And I'm hoping the choice won't blow the hoist
I hope that the choice we make will not ruin our chances.

'Cause this town, they bit off more than they can chew.
This town has taken on more than it can handle.

All the orange boxes are scattered
The orange boxes are spread out.

Against the safeway's supermarket in the rain
They are against the supermarket in the rain.

And everybody feels so determined
Everyone feels very determined.

Not to feel anyone else's pain
They are trying not to feel anyone else's pain.

No one's making no commitments
No one is making any commitments.

To anybody but themselves
They are only making commitments to themselves.

Talkin' behind closed doorways
They are talking in secret.

Tryin' to get outside, get outside of empty shells
They are trying to escape their empty shells.

And for every cross cuttin' country corner, country corner
For every country corner that is cut across...

For every Hank Williams railroad train that cried
For every railroad train that cried like Hank Williams...

And all the chains, badges, flags and emblems
All the chains, badges, flags, and emblems...

And every strain on brain and every eye
And all the work that puts a strain on the brain and eyes...

The restaurant tables are completely covered
All the tables in the restaurant are completely covered.

The record company has paid out for the wine
The record company has paid for the wine.

You got everything in the world you ever wanted
You have everything you could ever want.

Right about now your face should wear a smile
You should be happy right now.

That's the way it all should happen
That's the way everything should happen.

When you're in, when you're in the state you're in
When you're in the state you are in...

You've got your pen and notebook ready
You are ready with your pen and notebook.

I think it's about time, time for us to begin
I think it is time for us to start.

And meanwhile we're over in a 52nd Street apartment
Meanwhile, we are in an apartment on 52nd street.

Socializing with the wino few
We are socializing with a few winos.

Just to be hip and get wet with the jet set
Just to be cool and hang out with the cool people.

But they're flying too high to see my point of view
They are too high to understand my perspective.

See them freedom marching
See the people marching for freedom.

Out on the street, freedom marching
The people are marching for freedom on the street.

Says hold me in
I want you to hold me in.

Saint Dominic's Preview
This is Saint Dominic's Preview.

Out in the street
We are out in the street.

Look at the man
Look at the man.

Turn around
Turn around.

Come back, come back
Please come back.

Says hold on
Wait a minute.