Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree

Subject: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 30 May 07 - 07:33 AM

Hi all,

Anyone have a clue about this variation?

oh it's home dear
it's home dear, it's
home dear it's home
it's home dear it's home dear
to north amerikee (sp?)
with the ash and the oak and the button ball tree
and we'll all be happy
with our little family


Thanks

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Jun 07 - 11:39 AM

The term "buttonball tree" was new to me, but it turns out it's another name for the American sycamore, Platanus occidentalis. In St. Louis, where I grew up, we always called them "sycamores." (We don't have them at all in Minnesota.) If you can find out where the term "buttonball tree" is used, it might give a clue to the origin of the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 01 Jun 07 - 11:46 AM

Don, is that the whole song or just the chorus?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 01:02 AM

Just the chorus.

Button Ball tree is a new one on me too. I live in the land of Sycamores. The button industry was huge from Central New York through to just west of Rochester at one time.

I'm guessing a varient of Home Dearie Home. or maybe The Oak and the Ash and The Bonnie Rowan tree, or some other some such.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 03:35 AM

I don't know what Buttonwillow is other than a very small town on Interstate 5 near Bakersfield, but several versions of this song speak of the "oak and the ash and the buttonwillow tree." Maybe button ball is a distortion of "buttonwillow."
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: Celtaddict
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 03:37 PM

Or 'bonny willow' as many of the members of this popular family of songs mention 'the oak and the ash and the bonny [something] tree' and I have heard 'rowan' (which is an ash anyway), 'ellum' ('elm' made to fit), or 'willow' and there are a number of songs that mention various 'bonny ----- trees.'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash / oak/ the button ball tree
From: Snuffy
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:12 AM

Rowan (Sorbus) is also known as Mountain Ash, but it is not an Ash (Fraxinus)