Precious Time (Van Morrison song)

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"Precious Time"
Precioustime.VM.jpg
Single by Van Morrison
from the album Back on Top
A-side "Precious Time"
B-side "Jackie Wilson Said"/ "Call Me Up in Dreamland" (UK)
Released13 April 1999
Recorded1998, Wool Hall Studios, Beckington
Genre R&B
Length3:45
Label Polydor
Songwriter(s) Van Morrison
Producer(s) Van Morrison
Van Morrison singles chronology
"Rough God Goes Riding"
(1997)
"Precious Time"
(1999)
"Back on Top"
(1999)

"Precious Time" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and recorded on his 1999 album, Back on Top . It was released as a single in the UK and charted at No. 36. [1] Since first recording it, Morrison has played it in concert 574 times from March 1998 until June 2008, making it one of his most frequently performed songs. [2]

Contents

Recording and composition

It was recorded in 1998 at The Wool Hall Studios in Beckington with Walter Samuel as engineer. [3]

"Precious Time" has a happy upbeat melody and introspective lyrics about the quick passing of time:

Precious time is slipping away
You know you're only king for a day
It doesn't matter to which God you pray
Precious time is slipping away

Other releases

A live performance version from Morrison's appearance at the Austin City Limits Festival on 15 September 2006, was included on the limited edition album, Live at Austin City Limits Festival . In 2007, this song was included on the compilation album, The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3 and a remastered version of this song is included on another 2007 compilation album, Still on Top - The Greatest Hits .

Personnel

Notes

  1. "The Official Charts Company: Van Morrison". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  2. vanomatic: Concerts; songs
  3. Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 528

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References