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Van Morrison — Precious Time
Album: Back On Top
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1266









Released: 1999
Length: 3:42
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Precious time is slipping away
But youre only king for a day
It doesnt matter to which God you pray
Precious time is slipping away

It doesnt matter what route you take
Sooner or later the hearts going to break
No rhyme or reason, no master plan
No nirvana, no promised land

Because, precious time is slipping away
Yuu know youre only king for a day
It doesnt matter to which God you pray
Precious time is slipping away

Say que sera, whatever will be
But then I keep on searching for immortality
Shes so beautiful but shes going to die some day
Everything in life just passes away

But, precious time is slipping away
You know shes only queen for a day
It doesnt matter to which God you pray
Precious time is slipping away

Well this world is cruel with its twists and turns
Well the fires still in me and the passion burns
I love a medley til the day I die
til hell freezes over and the rivers run dry

Precious time is slipping away
You know shes only queen for a day
It doesnt matter to which God you pray because
Precious time is slipping away

Precious time is slipping away
You know youre only king for a day
It doesnt matter to which God you pray
Precious time is slipping away

Precious time is slipping away
You know youre only king for a day
It doesnt matter to which God you pray because
Precious time is slipping away
Comments (103)add comment
 bigbargain wrote:

i used to like Van Morrison, but VM is just over played on RP and I've grown tired of it.  I down voted mostly because there are other performers and I'd like to hear them.  And frankly, this isn't one of his better songs anyway.  P.S. I still love RP.




Yep, 2nd VM song in about 2 hours this morning.
i used to like Van Morrison, but VM is just over played on RP and I've grown tired of it.  I down voted mostly because there are other performers and I'd like to hear them.  And frankly, this isn't one of his better songs anyway.  P.S. I still love RP.
Very Fats Domino.
 justin4kick wrote:

Not the time of year but still I hear a bit of Bruce Springsteen's Santa Clause Is Coming To Town.



It's always time for Clarence Clemons (that's where the similarity ends for me) 
 justin4kick wrote:
Not the time of year but still I hear a bit of Bruce Springsteen's Santa Clause Is Coming To Town.
 
Or Dumas Walker by The Kentucky Headhunters
Good song
never get tired of van morrison... so many good tunes that never get old!
 quesarah wrote:
Jolly song. Tempus fugit. But fruit flies like a banana.
 
Only jolly, boop de boop. What happened to the poetic champion of Astral Weeks?
Jolly song. Tempus fugit. But fruit flies like a banana.
Live life to the fullest possible, we’ve been blessed with a very short time in this world Love everyone especially your music provider
Not the time of year but still I hear a bit of Bruce Springsteen's Santa Clause Is Coming To Town.
If you look at the landscape, you know a  queen could solve quite few problems, and that'd pretty funny.
 WonderLizard wrote:

Every day is an aging event.

 
I'm older now than I was when I started typing this sentence.
Instant Classic !
and nicely said! 
It's cool the way a song can sometimes perfectly synchronize with your mood... Sometimes it seems like a whole Radio Station: three cheers for Radio Padadise!  This is one of my favorite cults!
 ottojschlosser wrote:
Van is the master of finding a catchy phrase, combining it with a nice hook, and BEATING IT TO BLOODY DEATH.

 
In all fairness, this tendency is something that has developed over the years (i.e., the beating to death part), along with his girth. His most inventive era was decades ago, but he keeps churning along.
 Lazarus wrote:

Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all over the world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners...  love this precious song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...

 
Hmmmm Lazarus, I am not as ecstatic as you are, but this really is a fine song, and the first time I've heard it.
 Lazarus wrote:

Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all over the world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners...  love this precious song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...

 
Gotta admit, Lazarus, Best post ever.

Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all over the world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners...  love this precious song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...
Van is the master of finding a catchy phrase, combining it with a nice hook, and BEATING IT TO BLOODY DEATH.
I like Van Morrison better than Jim Morrison, all else being equal.

Exception: not that "doit-doit-doo-de-doo" song!
Bouncy, upbeat, Van the MAN at his best!
Van at his best - shame he slips slides away so quickly at his gigs

Time flies when we're having fun...  sigh...  love this "classic" song...
 


the paradox of happy music with such profound existential lyrics...  love it...  we be dancing with wanton epicureanism...

 
This is a treat.
 Stefen wrote:
Today is the youngest you will ever be.
 
Every day is an aging event.
 Stefen wrote:
Today is the youngest you will ever be.
 
"You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely." - Ogden Nash

 alisavox wrote:
why is everyone who likes him, on first name basis with Van Morrison?
 
...because it's more difficult to find a word which rhymes with "Morrison"?


 lemmoth wrote:

Because if say Morrison in this context, which one do you mean?

 

Most folks who've met him and had time to talk about music and so forth will recall that he always says "Call me Van, if you please".   Van Morrison is a very personal person, reserved, almost shy, but when he speaks about something which touches his heart he becomes almost an extrovert.
That was great !  9
 alisavox wrote:
why is everyone who likes him, on first name basis with Van Morrison?
 
Because Van and I go back more than 15 years! he's been part of the most important moments of my life, his music cheers me up always, and I cannot say the same for other than very few friends... and because Van is the Man!!

 alisavox wrote:
why is everyone who likes him, on first name basis with Van Morrison?
 
Because if say Morrison in this context, which one do you mean?

Bill - Have you been paying attention to those silly billboard;'s about how Saturday is the beginning of the end?


 Stefen wrote:
Today is the youngest you will ever be.
 
"You're older than you'll ever be and now you're even older...and now you're even older..." They Might Be Giants

Like LIKE Love MOONDANCE
 pherthyl wrote:
Don't know much about history,
don't know much about biology,
Don't know much about a science book

Oh wait. Different song. That's a hell of a similarity in tune though. took me a bit of googling to figure out the song it reminded me of. (click here)
 

Yes, or ( from early Rolling Stones cover of Sam Cooke' "Good Times"):

It might be one o'clock, it might be three,
time don't mean that much to me,
Ain't felt this good since I don't know when,
I might not feel this good again...

 scrubbrush wrote:

Jimi, Janice, Jerry, Elvis... if you can put last names to those first names, you'll realize it's not just Van's fans

 

Ringo...
sounds like Ringo music
 alisavox wrote:
why is everyone who likes him, on first name basis with Van Morrison?
 
Jimi, Janice, Jerry, Elvis... if you can put last names to those first names, you'll realize it's not just Van's fans

 alisavox wrote:
why is everyone who likes him, on first name basis with Van Morrison?
 
'Cos Van's da Man, an' dat's a fack, Jack.

why is everyone who likes him, on first name basis with Van Morrison?
I will echo the sentiments of many and say this is one of the best Van albums of his more recent offerings.
Very nice!!
Great tune from Van, but High Summer needs to be in the rotation this time of the year.
i thought the beginning sounded like the theme to the match game or some such game.
Today is the youngest you will ever be.
Compare the lyrics of this song to the lyrics of Van's Full Force Gale.  It's really, really interesting.  {#Meditate}
Love the lowlying baritone sax in this one...so sexy.
suddenchad wrote:
Highly overlooked Van album. One of his best of the past 30 years, in my opinion.
Absolutely!
This song is awesome! Too bad the album art and title doesn't match how great it is. :-)
Old Van keeps improving with age.
Yes, if you are a Van fan and you don't have this album, by all means get it. It's one of his best.
suddenchad wrote:
Highly overlooked Van album. One of his best of the past 30 years, in my opinion.
This is certainly the best I've heard him sound outside of Moondance and Astral Weeks.
Love that sax! :-)
fretman wrote:
Words to live by.
Amen brother
suddenchad wrote:
Highly overlooked Van album. One of his best of the past 30 years, in my opinion.
Yup yup yup
Words to live by.
Don't know much about history, don't know much about biology, Don't know much about a science book Oh wait. Different song. That's a hell of a similarity in tune though. took me a bit of googling to figure out the song it reminded me of. (click here)
This song started out a 7, then slipped to a 4 his hundred and whatever time through. Don't like one line songs that much.
suddenchad wrote:
Highly overlooked Van album. One of his best of the past 30 years, in my opinion.
Absolutely
Highly overlooked Van album. One of his best of the past 30 years, in my opinion.
So simple a statement "doesn't matter to which god you pray; precious time is slipping away" - such a global relevance -
dango wrote:
Overrated artist, IMO.
You got it wrong, man...Van is way, way, way underrated.
tonypf wrote:
Cookin' 40 years on!
You hit the nail on the head, Tony. And you know what - I think that's all Van is going for. Would love to see RP play Philosopher's Stone off this album. It's a great counter to the jaunty tempo of Precious Time.
Mmmm, yeah. Simple, foot-tappin' and true.
mistatebird wrote:
Interesting ruminations, but an unattractive mental picture. By the way, I disagree with you-but it's ok. May I ask why you look at your "poop"?
Maybe you should be looking at yours. Who knows what strange and wonderful things are going on inside you.
This guy is simply fantastic... How can you not love "Into the Mystic" Simply perfect blue eyed soul... love it
R'n'R
dlheine wrote:
Amen. Back on Top is an outstanding album. It's well worth checking out.
It's my FAVORITE VM album!!!!
Interesting ruminations, but an unattractive mental picture. By the way, I disagree with you-but it's ok. May I ask why you look at your "poop"? beelzebubba wrote:
Listening to Van Morrison is kind of like seeing corn when you poop. It's annoying, and not pretty to look at, but it's ultimately harmless, and you just flush and forget about it.
At my age, this song says a lot. It's one of our most pensive, thought provoking, and favorite songs.
Cookin' 40 years on!
radiojunkie wrote:
Is there such a thing as a bad Van Morrison song?
Yes, sadly, but we don't have to experience it here. :-) Likeable tune.
ploafmaster wrote:
Initially a 7, then I had to change it to an 8...any song that just makes me happy while I'm listening is more than the sum of its parts. Excellent!
I completely agree, and it's no truer of any artist than Van Morrison. I have this cd. At first I thought it was mediocre, now I love it.
Overrated artist, IMO.
Initially a 7, then I had to change it to an 8...any song that just makes me happy while I'm listening is more than the sum of its parts. Excellent!
Listening to Van Morrison is kind of like seeing corn when you poop. It's annoying, and not pretty to look at, but it's ultimately harmless, and you just flush and forget about it.
radiojunkie wrote:
Is there such a thing as a bad Van Morrison song?
For sure, but not this one.
Is there such a thing as a bad Van Morrison song?
Hooky hook, man. I like. Groovin' down the highway!
I've been waiting for this tune to appear here. Guess which line *I* have a problem with... It PRECISELY matters. Catchy, but a 2.
I never get tired of Van the man
Platypus wrote:
I'll never get the appeal of this guy's music.
Start with Gloria and work your way forward through 40 years of music. Maybe you'll find something that meets your standards. :)
I'll never get the appeal of this guy's music.
arimelmed wrote:
It's a great album. Sounds like old time Van Morrison. The best stuff he's put out in years.
Amen. Back on Top is an outstanding album. It's well worth checking out.
plundis wrote:
Van is overrated... Isn't one of his songs being used to promote some mass consumer product now.... ? What is the world coming to...? Oh that means all you little alternative weirdos are now a giant consumer buying pool... trade your taste in for a new mini van or some other aweful thing his songs are promoting... -p
i think YOU are overrated as a critic!
It's cool when I click here to find out what album the song is on and I realize it's on an album I already own! Gotta drag it out again! FWIW, I give this song an "8". I only click on songs when I especially like them - so far I have never heard Bill play anything that I called "bad" - then I get in here and see all these smartass negative comments - just like on Amazon - there's always some of that around - even for the best stuff - all this personal attack stuff - "Van Morrison is overrated" - what can that possibly mean and to whom? Bleah.
Out with the marginal 80's Van and back to what made him great in the first place!
Van is overrated... Isn't one of his songs being used to promote some mass consumer product now.... ? What is the world coming to...? Oh that means all you little alternative weirdos are now a giant consumer buying pool... trade your taste in for a new mini van or some other aweful thing his songs are promoting... -p
:-s #-o :-&
Originally Posted by Patrick: Thank God! Something I can get up and dance to!
If that's how you dance.. thankfully you don't dance often.. ;) Seriously.. just about anything by Van Morrison.. I still remember being 18 and discovering his music for the first time. While my parents weren't foreign to music, they were more into classical and jazz and didn't listen to much of the music of the day or allow it in their lives...
Thank God! Something I can get up and dance to!
Love this song. Good tune. Great message.
Actually, I\'ve been thinking of picking up this disc, \"Back On Top\" but can anyone let me know about the quality of the rest of the album? I don\'t usually buy a disc just for one song...
Originally Posted by guybejammin: This is a great tune by Van. We played it on our way down the aisle at the wedding.
I get this mental picture of the two of you doing a "Fred and Ginger" all the way from the church doors to the preacher.... Love it!
I ran across this song last year sometime and it hasn\'t gotten old yet. It\'s got a wonderful bouncy simplicity and great lyrics. War Van Morrison
This is a great tune by Van. We played it on our way down the aisle at the wedding.
Nice tune - how about some of the stuff he did with Linda Gail Lewis to along with it?