What does Domino mean?

Van Morrison: Domino Meaning

Album cover for Domino album cover

Domino Lyrics

Don’t want to discuss it
I think it’s time for a change
You may get disgusted
And think I’m strange
In that case I’ll go underground
Get some heavy rest
Never have to worry
About what is worst and what is best

Oh oh domino
Roll me over...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 8th 2016 !⃝

    Van Morrison was heavily influenced by American R&B music. This is a tribute song to Fats Domino.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 22nd 2016 !⃝

    Some of these comments amuse me. I rarely comment on these but sometimes some basic clarity is required.

    Domino is another name for a mask.

    If "Romeo" rolls him over, he's no longer in bed with his Juliet. Basically, Van's girl likes some other guy. He wants to hide from the situation.

    In the end, you put on a mask (domino) to hide from others (including hiding your feelings) and possibly change who you are... like not being the type of guy who can accept his girl liking another guy. He's sad and upset - which is THE best time to listen to the blues.

    As much as I'm sure Mr.Morrison can appreciate your views in his being progressive and writing about being gay... this isn't that.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 14th 2022 !⃝

    I interpret this song to mean if you need change in your life go for it and don't worry about what others think.And if you don't contact me to see how I am,you probably never cared anyway so thats that.maybe a simplistic approach but I love this song and it really makes me feel better when im down.❤️

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 25th 2021 !⃝

    Don’t want to discuss it /
    I think it’s time for a change /

    It seems to me like he's in the "friend zone" with this girl, and is suggesting that her choice of lover is not good for her. Being tired of hearing about the lover(s) he doesn't "want to discuss it" and further suggests that he thinks "it's time for a change".

    You may get disgusted /
    And think I’m strange /

    This song is a confession of his love and he is suggesting that she start going out with him, but he is afraid that she might find the idea of going out with her close friend as "disgusting" and "strange".

    In that case I’ll go underground /
    Get some heavy rest /
    Never have to worry /
    About what is worst and what is best /

    If she does feel that way and denies him it'll break his heart. He'll feel like he wants to crawl into his grave where he can take the time to heal from the heartbreak. He would also be giving up on having her as a lover/friend and not really care about whether she's making the right decisions in her love life.

    Oh oh domino /
    Roll me over romeo /

    In the game of dominoes the loser calls out "domino" to the winner. So, he's saying that he's lost to this girl's lover and is getting pushed aside. ("Roll me over" also ties into the previous line of going underground as if he's rolling in his grave.)

    There’s no need for argument /
    There’s no argument at all /
    And if you never hear from him /
    That just means he didn’t call /
    Or vice versa /
    That depends on where ever you’re at /
    And if you never hear from me /
    That just means I would rather not /

    This seems to be another reference to his role as a friend. Where he has to hear about this girl's worries in her relationships, and having to reassure her that nothing is wrong. Again, he's also suggesting that he's sick of hearing about her other lover(s), and he "would rather not" get involved with the conversation.

    As an aside I think that the song can also be interpreted as a man getting cheated on by his lover. The meanings of the lyrics are mostly the same, but instead of confessing his love in the first verse he is breaking up with her. In the second verse, it sounds like she wants to get back with him, but he's over it and doesn't really care anymore.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 29th 2020 !⃝


    It is typical of a gay person to think (or should I say hope) everyone is gay.

    Van Morriso"s writing is usually deep either in meaning or soul. I'm sure this gay thinks deep means something else. What a pain in the !!!. As for the other man crediting his comment with being progressive, I don't think referring to anal sex is progressive - please really!!!

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 17th 2020 !⃝

    It is clearly a reference to anal sex.
    "You might get disgusted, and start thinking that I'm strange" is his fear of a negative reaction to broaching the subject.
    "Roll me over" is to get in position for anal.

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 5th 2019 !⃝

    Its about a guy who is in love with a women, who may also be his freind, and he is just waiting for this idiot the screw it up because he cant take it and because he at the same time think he may have a chance with her then. Roll me over refers to the game. Roll me over, or put me in play give me a chance to match ends with her. By the end hes had. Enough and wishes he didnt still care for her.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 17th 2016 !⃝

    I always thought the song was about radio stations being unwilling to play "black" music on their stations. He says that pretty clearly towards the end of the song. The part where he says "and if you never hear from him, that just means you didn't call" refers to not reaching out and looking for those types of songs to play.

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 21st 2012 !⃝

    The first verse is a man talking to his girl, asking for something different in their sexual practices, which he is afraid she is going to object to or be disgusted by, i.e. anal sex.

    The second verse is the girl's reply in the affirmative - roll me over, Romeo.

    Get it?

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 28th 2011 !⃝

    Ya I'm pretty sure that in this case Domino is a man's name and Van is talking about mano a mano - roll me over romeo?- cmon I'm pretty sure that along with the strange / disgusted / underground lyric that this debate is over

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  11. anonymous
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    Mar 13th 2010 !⃝

    Or is this simply one of those songs that was written to be musically appealing, but needs some kind of lyrics to make it a song, so the writer just packs it with a lot of "word salad" to fill the order?

  12. ripvano
    click a star to vote
    Oct 17th 2009 !⃝

    If Van was to glance at these ideas he'd probably get a good laugh.
    Every now and then a writer throws a line at you for fun-designed to make you puzzle and search for hidden meanings which were not there to begin with.
    There is nothing better than a word game in a song.
    But what I've read here will be good fun to relate at the pub.
    You guys are lookin'for a forest when there aren't even any trees around for miles.

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 18th 2009 !⃝

    There is a version on the Philosopher's stone:

    There was a girl I used to know
    long blonde hair and I loved her so
    there was this place where we used to go
    have some fun with the lights down low

  14. BklynJimmy
    click a star to vote
    Apr 20th 2009 !⃝

    I loved this song but never paid attention to the lyrics until recently. Yes this is a homosexual dalliance; "roll me over Romeo." There is no ambiguity there. "Thinking I'm strange." Going into uncharted territory where he's never threaded before; and those around him might find it strange. "Underground", he'll just keep it a secret.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 4th 2009 !⃝

    Jimmy's right. It's obviously a tale of homosexual dalliance.

  16. anonymous
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    Sep 16th 2008 !⃝

    I think Morrison is referring to a homosexual affair.
    Jimmy

  17. jerrye
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    Jan 25th 2006 !⃝

    I think this song is about the writer’s frustration with the game of love, in light of the fact that his lover is seeing another man, a Romeo.

    One definition of domino is a game played with a set of small blocks. Perhaps this song is about playing love games, in light of the references to Romeo and “never hear[ing] from him.” Most of us are aware that Romeo references a "a lover, passionate admirer, seducer of women."

    “And if you never hear from him, that just means he didn’t call,” supports the idea that writer is addressing the fact that his love interest has interest in another man. The fact that the writer says “roll me over, Romeo,” suggests that the other man is the Romeo.

    So, if the other man is the Romeo, and the writer says, “I think it’s time for a change,” this could mean that the writer is contemplating backing off in the relationship with his love interest, in light of her involvement of Romeo.

    Now, why the writer would say the following, I’m unsure:

    You may get disgusted, and think I’m strange
    In that case I’ll go underground
    Get some heavy rest
    Never have to worry
    About what is worst and what is best

    I don’t know why the writer’s potential change would disgust the love interest. I could see a love interest being disappointed or angry. But disgusted sounds like “discuss it,” from a previous line, and this may be the writer’s best effort at lyrically conveying the love interest’s potential disappointment or anger over the proposed change.

    As far as,
    In that case I’ll go underground
    Get some heavy rest
    Never have to worry
    About what is worst and what is best

    I think the writer means that, if the love interest chooses to continue with Romeo, in light of the writer’s proposed change, the writer will retreat, disconnect from, and ignore the love interest and possibly self medicate, either literally or figuratively.

    If the lover continues with Romeo, the writer may want to rid his lover from his mind. The writer would want to avoid thinking about whether it’s better to stay with the lover, and put up with the lack of exclusivity, or retreat.


    Regarding

    Oh oh domino
    Roll me over romeo

    The writer may be saying, oh, the games of love! The writer may be exasperated over such games. The writer seems to say, go ahead, Romeo, and continue to ruin my otherwise good situation. The writer seems to feel defeated.

    There’s no need for argument
    There’s no argument at all
    And if you never hear from him
    That just means he didn’t call
    Or vice versa
    That depends on where ever you’re at
    And if you never hear from me
    That just means I would rather not

    The writer seems to say that he doesn’t want to argue or negotiate. He seems firm. He is repeating the idea behind “don’t want to discuss it.”

    He also suggests the possibility that the relationship between his lover and Romeo may fail. Romeo may only want a fling with the writer’s lover and may stop calling at any time. The lover may not be willing to pursue her Romeo. The writer is reminding his lover that she could lose twice, if she continues with Romeo.

    That depends on where ever you’re at


    I struggle to find the meaning to this. Maybe the writer is merely saying the choice is up to you, my love. The outcome depends on your choice, the writer seems to say.

    And if you never hear from me
    That just means I would rather not

    The writer seems to say, no pressure, my love. But the writer seems to imply that, if the choice is to keep the status quo, the writer will retreat.

    This is my first time to write or post an interpretation. The full text of the lyrics, taken from another website, follows:

    Don’t want to discuss it
    I think it’s time for a change
    You may get disgusted
    And think I’m strange
    In that case I’ll go underground
    Get some heavy rest
    Never have to worry
    About what is worst and what is best

    Oh oh domino
    Roll me over romeo
    There you go
    Lord have mercy
    I said oh oh domino
    Roll me over romeo
    There you go
    Say it again
    I said oh oh domino
    I said oh oh domino

    There’s no need for argument
    There’s no argument at all
    And if you never hear from him
    That just means he didn’t call
    Or vice versa
    That depends on where ever you’re at
    And if you never hear from me
    That just means I would rather not

    I said oh oh domino
    Roll me over romeo
    There you go
    Lord have mercy
    I said oh oh domino
    Roll me over romeo
    There you go
    Say it again
    Oh oh domino
    I said oh oh domino.


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