Dominique

Album: The Singing Nun (1963)
Charted: 7 1
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  • Dominique, nique, nique, over the land he plods
    And sings a little song
    Never asking for reward
    He just talks about the Lord
    He just talks about the Lord

    At a time when Johnny Lackland
    Over England was the King
    Dominique was in the backland
    Fighting sin like anything

    Now a heretic, one day
    Among the thorns forced him to crawl
    Dominique with just one prayer
    Made him hear the good Lord's call

    Without horse or fancy wagon
    He crossed Europe up and down
    Poverty was his companion
    As he walked from town to town

    To bring back the straying liars
    And the lost sheep to the fold
    He brought forth the Preaching Friars
    Heaven's soldier's, brave and bold

    One day, in the budding Order
    There was nothing left to eat
    Suddenly two angels walked in
    With a loaf of bread and meat

    Dominique once, in his slumber
    Saw the Virgin's coat unfurled
    Over Friars without number
    Preaching all around the world

    Grant us now, oh Dominique
    The grace of love and simple mirth
    That we all may help to quicken
    Godly life and truth on earth Writer/s: Noel Regney, Soeur Sourire
    Publisher: Capitol CMG Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Word Collections Publishing
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 16

  • Fred from FriscoSuch a saintly song, such a cowardly death.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 5th 1964, the Singing Nun performed "Dominique" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
    At the time it was at #4 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; was #1 from December 1st to December 28th, 1963...
    R.I.P. Jeanine 'Singing Nun' Deckers (1933 - 1985) and Mr. Sullivan (1901 - 1974).
  • Barry from Sauquoit, Ny"Dominique" peaked at #1 (for 4 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100; it had entered the chart on November 9th and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    And on this same day it reached #1 (again for 4 weeks) on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Hits chart...
    On both charts is was proceeded at #1 by "I'm Leaving It Up To You" by Dale & Grace and succeeded at #1 by "There! I've Said It Again" by Bobby Vinton.
  • Sioraf from Macroon, IrelandSad stuff.
  • Jojo from Kuwait, KuwaitI remember listening to this song when I was in grade school in the Philippines. That period in my life was to me...magical. It's so sad to think that many good artists suddenly bloom only to lose to the tragedies of this life. Van Gogh, The Cascades, John Lennon, and many others. And yes, Sor sourire(very,very sad). I wished she stayed in the convent. But I guess that's just the way it is. People leave their memories when they are the most beautiful in life. That's what makes their memories immortal. Thanks for uploading this rare gem of a song.
  • Milka from Paris, FranceOne thing you have to know about this song is that a part of its success comes in France on the game on words : " Dominique nique nique " in the french slang language " "nique " means to have sex with some one .
  • Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaStrangely, I have never heard any cover versions of this song unlike "Sukiyaki", another foreign language hit which topped the US charts in the same year as Dominique, 1963 and there were numerous covers of that song. I guess its very difficult to cover. Ironically, the late Kyu Sakamoto the singer of Sukiyaki also died tragically in the same year as the Singing Nun, in 1985 though under different circumstances. Sakamoto died in a plane crash.
  • Rob from San Diego, CaI found the translation for the lyrics here
    http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/06june/article180.html
    The sister's personal story is as tragic as this song is beautiful.
  • Tony Cook from London, United Kingdomwhat a truly lovely song some may call it cheesy but i dont care, reminds me of my great aunty eileen who was in the salvation army and taught us wrong and right, across the family hence thats why we have all growen up and been of good charicter. and look to do good in all that we do.
  • Carol from Clayton, CaMy parents had this record when I was little, and although it was in French, we loved it. Was sorry to hear several years ago that she had taken her life. Never knew why until reading the comments before mine.
  • Darrell from EugeneDON'T LISTEN TO THIS SONG IN THE DARK! I repeat, DON'T! I listened to this song once on a battery-powered radio during a power outage in a bitter Alaskan winter during a musk ox-hunting trip in 1991 (I got an ox and made the pelt into a bedspread), there were no heat or lights, and the sound of this song was so haunting that I just wrapped myself in the Kodiak bear pelt that was on the floor beside me and remained scared until "Indiana Wants Me" by R. Dean Taylor came on. Obviously, I am different than others, but Andria (my girlfriend of 7 weeks) and I think that this is good advice.
  • John from Fort Worth, TxWhen I was a small child this song was very popular. I watched the feature film starring Debbie Reynolds on TV when I was seven years old; I attended Catholic school then and everything was good.

    In my teen years I bought a copy of the single and listened to it over and over even though the lyrics were in French. I've learned so much more of life in the decades that have followed.

    I remember learning of the writer/singer's separation from the order and of her tragic death some time later.

    Sister has left us all a dear and memorable experience with the song, "Dominique."

    John Martin, 45
    Fort Worth, Texas
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnOne of the most unique number one songs of the rock era, Dominique was one of the first songs in a foreign language to reach the top of the charts and the only number one sung entirely in French. Unfortunately, The Singing Nun is no longer with us. She had her 15 minutes of fame.
  • Frank from Westminster, ScCan someone out there provide a literal translation in English for these lyrics?
  • Eloise from London, EnglandMy God, I never realised this song (or at least the woman who sang it) had such a history. In the UK it was just one of those novelty records that fades and is forgotten. What a tragedy about the ex-nun and her partner and the autistic kids' centre. If you were trying to write something that schmaltzy in real life, no-one would believe you!
  • Ted from Loveland, CoThe Singing Nun is actually Sister Luc-Gabrielle, member of a Belgian Dominican order convent. She also recorded as Sister Sourire, French for "Sister Smile." This song, about St. Dominic, Spanish-born priest and founder of her order
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