Redwood Tree (song)
Redwood Tree is a song by Van Morrison from his 1972 album Saint Dominic's Preview. It is the sixth track on the album and was released as the second single in October 1972, reaching number 98 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The track was recorded in April 1972 at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, along with the songs “Saint Dominic’s Preview” and “I Will Be There.” Salisbury arranged all three songs for the album, using his absolute pitch to write down Morrison’s music from phone conversations.
In 1971 Morrison and his family moved to Marin County, California, near San Francisco, where redwood trees inspired the song. Biographer Johnny Rogan says the song captures Marin’s beauty and it nostalgically looks back at growing up, blending Morrison’s Belfast roots with California imagery. It’s often viewed as a song of reconciliation.
When released as a single, it wasn’t a big hit. Rolling Stone suggested it had strong hit potential, but it peaked at 98, below the lead single “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)” which reached 61. Billboard called it a strong folk-rock ballad, and Record World praised its production and melody. John Collis described it as a charming, folksy reminder of Morrison’s country-music interest at the time.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:41 (CET).