Redwood Tree (song)
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Redwood Tree
| cover = VM.redwoodtree.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Van Morrison
| album = Saint Dominic's Preview
| B-side = Saint Dominic's Preview
| released = October 1972{{cite magazine |title=Radio Action and Pick Singles |magazine=Billboard |date=October 7, 1972 |page=54 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-A4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=van+morrison+redwood+tree&pg=PA54}}
| recorded = April 1972
| studio = Wally Heider Studios
| genre = *Folk rock
- R&B{{cite book |chapter=Van Morrison|last= Sheffield|first=Rob|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |year=2004 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages= 559–561}}{{cite book|title=33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999|first=Mike|last=Segretto|date=2022|chapter= 1972|pages= 274–275|publisher=Backbeat|isbn=9781493064601|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtNtEAAAQBAJ}}
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=03}}
| label = Warner Bros.
| writer = Van Morrison
| producer = Van Morrison
| prev_title = Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)
| prev_year = 1972
| next_title = Gypsy
| next_year = 1973
| misc =
}}
"Redwood Tree" is the sixth song on Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison's 1972 album, Saint Dominic's Preview, released in July 1972 by Warner Bros. It was later released in October as the second of three singles from the album and charted at number 98 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Recording
"Redwood Tree" was recorded in April 1972 at the Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, along with "Saint Dominic's Preview" and "I Will Be There".Wrench. Saint Dominic's Flashback, p.1818/3575 Salisbury arranged all three songs for the album, as he had absolute pitch, which allowed him to write down the music over phone calls with Morrison with ease.Wrench. Saint Dominic's Flashback, p.1731/3575
Writing
In April 1971 Morrison and his family moved to Marin County, California, before he recorded his previous album, Tupelo Honey.Collis. Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, p.126 Their new home was on the side of a hill in rural countryside close to San Francisco, with redwood trees nearby.Hage. The Words and Music of Van Morrison, p.57 Biographer Johnny Rogan believes the song "Redwood Tree" "enshrined the beauty of Marin county".Rogan, No Surrender, p.275
The song evokes nostalgia and memories of growing up, in a similar way to his songs "And It Stoned Me", "Country Fair" and "Take Me Back".{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/van-morrison-best-songs/redwood-tree/|title=Van Morrison: 30 essential songs|date=12 April 2016|first=Martin|last=Chilton|newspaper=The Telegraph|location=London|accessdate=22 May 2017}} The difference with "Redwood Tree" is that it is not set in Belfast or Northern Ireland, where Morrison grew up, as Brian Hinton remarks:{{blockquote|"Redwood Tree" is a song of reconciliation, which seems to graft Van's Belfast childhood onto California, where redwoods actually grow, "Keep us from all harm", an invocation to the spirit of the ancient wood.Hinton. Celtic Crossroads, p.143}}
Reception
When released as a single it was not as successful as Rolling Stone reviewer Steven Holden had anticipated: "The affirmation of Saint Dominic's Preview is translated to the past in 'Redwood Tree', an ecstatic boyhood reminiscence centering on the image of a sheltering redwood tree. This beautiful, sensuous cut has the album's greatest potential as a hit single."{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/186447/review/5945763|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228224126/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/186447/review/5945763|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 February 2008|title=Van Morrison:Saint Dominic's Review|publisher=rollingstone.com|author=Holden, Stephen|date=1972-08-31|accessdate=2008-08-08}} It was released as a single but only charted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100, which made it less of a success than the album's lead single "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)", which reached number 61.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes}}|title=Van Morrison: Charts and awards: billboard singles|publisher=allmusic.com}}
Billboard recommended the single and called it a "strong folk rock ballad."{{cite news|newspaper=Billboard|accessdate=2020-08-02|title=Radio Action and Pick Singles|date=7 October 1972|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-10-07.pdf|page=54}} Record World said that the "Nice self-production and steady stream of melody combine to make this an easy-programming example of singer-songwriter's art."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=October 7, 1972|accessdate=2023-03-29|title=Single Picks|page=10|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/RW-1972-10-07.pdf}}
John Collis describes the song as "A charming if somewhat folksy reminder of Morrison's interest in country music at the time."Collis. Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, p.132
Personnel
- Van Morrison{{snd}}vocals, rhythm guitar
- Jules Broussard{{snd}}tenor saxophone
- Bill Church{{snd}}bass
- Gary Mallaber{{snd}}drums
- Doug Messenger{{snd}}guitar
- Janet Planet{{snd}}backing vocals
- Tom Salisbury{{snd}}piano
- Ellen Schroer{{snd}}backing vocals
- Jack Schroer{{snd}}alto and baritone saxophones
- Mark Springer{{snd}}backing vocals
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Little Brown and Company. {{ISBN|0-306-80811-0}}
- Hage, Erik (2009). The Words and Music of Van Morrison, Praeger Publishers, {{ISBN|978-0-313-35862-3}}
- Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary. {{ISBN|1-86074-169-X}}
- Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison: No Surrender, London: Vintage Books. {{ISBN|978-0-09-943183-1}}
- Wrench, Peter (2012). Saint Dominic's Flashback: Van Morrison's Classic Album, Forty Years On, FeedARead. Kindle Edition. {{ISBN|9781781768600}}
{{Van Morrison singles}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Van Morrison