Arbor Day
The romantic era produced some of the corniest music ever. Sentimentality was just what one did in the 1800s. To celebrate this Arbor Day, here’s a little ditty by Henry Russell with words by George Pope Morris. It’s more about sentimental memories than the tree itself, and is quite possibly the corniest piece of music ever written.
Woodman spare that tree!
Touch not a single bough;
In youth it sheltered me,
And I’ll protect it now;
‘Twas my fore father’s hand
That placed it near the cot,
There, woodman, let it stand,
Thy axe shall harm it not!
Touch not a single bough;
In youth it sheltered me,
And I’ll protect it now;
‘Twas my fore father’s hand
That placed it near the cot,
There, woodman, let it stand,
Thy axe shall harm it not!
That old familiar tree,
Whose glory and renown
Are spread o’er land and sea,
And wouldst thou hack it down?
Woodman, forbear thy stroke!
Cut not its earth, bound ties;
Oh! spare that ag-ed oak
Now towering to the skies!
Whose glory and renown
Are spread o’er land and sea,
And wouldst thou hack it down?
Woodman, forbear thy stroke!
Cut not its earth, bound ties;
Oh! spare that ag-ed oak
Now towering to the skies!
When but a idle boy
I sought its grateful shade;
In all their gushing joy
Here, too, my sisters played.
My mother kiss’d me here;
My father press’d my hand–
Forgive this foolish tear,
But let that old oak stand!
I sought its grateful shade;
In all their gushing joy
Here, too, my sisters played.
My mother kiss’d me here;
My father press’d my hand–
Forgive this foolish tear,
But let that old oak stand!
My heart-strings round thee cling,
Close as thy bark, old friend!
Here shall the wild-bird sing,
And still thy branches bend.
Old tree! the storm still brave!
And, woodman, leave the spot;
While I’ve a hand to save,
Thy axe shall harm it not.
Close as thy bark, old friend!
Here shall the wild-bird sing,
And still thy branches bend.
Old tree! the storm still brave!
And, woodman, leave the spot;
While I’ve a hand to save,
Thy axe shall harm it not.
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