Lyr Req: Leaf on a Tree (from Elvis Presley)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf on a Tree (from Elvis Presley)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 11 - 07:32 PM

Other threads about this song, or related songs:

Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come Down

Lyr Req: Tying the Leaves to the Tree

Lyr Req: Anyone know this old Irish tune?

Origins: The Leaves Musn't Fall

Origin: The Leaves Mustn't Fall (Moon Mullican)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: GUEST,Patrick Wall
Date: 19 Apr 11 - 08:05 PM

"The leaves mustn't fall" is a song I did for my third album and learned from Moon Mullican, who did it first (based on a true story). Moon Mullican was the first singer/pianist of country music and mixed blues and country together and formed the basis of rock 'n' roll. "Leaves mustn't fall" is a very popular song with people I have found out - so it makes perfect sense Elvis could have done this.

I know Elvis, who mixed blues with country and popularised R&B for white audiences (Moon Mullican with tracks like "I done it" and "Grandpa stole my baby" was the first white artist to do R&B), was influenced by Moon Mullican. Listen also to Elvis' piano playing on "Shake rattle and roll" alt. takes and you get the picture - it is pure Moon Mullican. Of course, Jerry Lee Lewis explored the singer pianist ideas further (Jerry Lee also influenced by Moon of course) while Elvis stuck mainly to guitar and then primarily vocals. Blues piano featured a lot on Elvis' tracks and performances by Elvis like "Reconsider baby" are similar to ones by Moon such as "Early morning blues".

It would be very interesting what would have appeared on Elvis' albums if Elvis had more of a say what went on. When he signed with RCA, of course he had to use RCA-owned songs. Whether Elvis did do this song or not, he would have definitely sung and played a lot of Moon Mullican material. I know he did sing "I'll sail my ship alone". And Elvis also seemed to influence many of Moon's later material, notably the blues balled "Just plain lonesome" where Moon sounds more like Elvis than himself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 10:04 AM

A rare chesnut, only one recording i Know of on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSpstWfoGKk this should take you there, enjoy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: Allan C.
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 05:23 AM

Well, that makes a whole lot more sense than my theory! Who'da thought?!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: masato sakurai
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 07:17 PM

Previous threads on "Green Grass Grew All Around" are:

'Hole in the Ground' question

Lyr Req: ...the green grass grew all around

Several recordings on YouTube include:

Captain Kangaroo - Green Grass Grew All Around

Louis Jordan: The Green grass Grows All Around

The Maple City Four: The Green Grass Grew All Around (1938)

Mickey Mouse Club: Green Grass Grows

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presle
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 05:12 PM

From Elvis and Gladys by Elaine Dundy (Jackson: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2004), page 132:

"...on Elvis' last day in school, at the children's request, the teacher gave him thirty minutes to perform before the class. The last song he sang for them was the traditional tune, "A Leaf on a Tree" ("the leaf on the branch, the branch on the tree, the tree in a hole, the hole in the ground, and the green grass grew all around, all around, etc.").

Assuming that's the right song, it's in the DT under the title GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: Beer
Date: 25 Oct 10 - 06:41 AM

Is the melody to this song available somewhere? Love to hear it.
Ad.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: MickyMan
Date: 25 Oct 10 - 06:26 AM

Thank you so much to everybody. I guess the question is whether the "Leaf On A Tree" mentioned in the biographical references is actually the song that is being discussed. Was that an alternate title?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: Mo the caller
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 04:44 PM

Wasn't it a short story by Saki?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: Gene
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 12:52 PM

The following [GOOGLE] references indicate Elvis sang "Leaf On A Tree"
on two different occasions but none were found indicating that he actually recorded it.

=====
Elvis Presley Biography :
Elvis plays his guitar and sings "Leaf on a Tree" for his Milam Junior High class ...

www.gactv.com/.../0,3008,GAC_26071_4745562_DS-ARTICLE-WITH-GROUPS,00.html

Rain Before Rainbows: Elvis Presley
A rusted 1935 Plymouth had carried Elvis Presley and his parents out of Mississippi in ... and had he crooned out "Leaf on a Tree" for them as a farewell. ...

G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: Allan C.
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 10:44 AM

When you consider that the tragic, "Old Shep" was included on one of Elvis' earliest 45's, (two songs to a side, BTW,) it would not at all be surprising to learn that another song of the same ilk had attracted his attention when he was a bit younger.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 09:29 AM

Leaves Musn't Fall - Dan Paisley & The Southern Grass is on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: MickyMan
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 09:15 AM

I have heard of this song where the child wishes to tie the leaves on the tree, and it certainly does seem like a possible candidate for an emotional early Elvis country song.
Any other ideas?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LEAVES MUSTN'T FALL (Moon Mullican)
From: Allan C.
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 09:04 AM

In the spring of 1950 a later-to-be country music legend, Moon Mullican released an LP on which he recorded a song he wrote called "The Leaves Mustn't Fall." It seems entirely possible that this may have been the song Elvis knew back then.


THE LEAVES MUSTN'T FALL
by: Moon Mullican

[A] The autumn leaves were falling
And the [D] snow was soon to come.
As [E] I was walking down a lonely [A] road,
I saw a little fellow who was [D] sitting all alone
[E] Catching leaves as they began to [A] fall.

CHORUS: [A] The leaves mustn't fall, oh [D] no, they mustn't fall.
I'm [E] tying the leaves so they will [A] stay.
I've lost my mom and dad.
Now [D] sister's all I have.
Don't [E] let the falling leaves take her a-[A]way.

[A] My sister's only seven, and she's [D] sure a pretty thing,
As [E] pretty as a picture on the [A] wall.
The doctor came this summer and he [D] said that she would die
When the [E] autumn leaves had turned and start to [A] fall.

Chorus

[A] So won't you help me, mister?
Won't you [D] help me tie the leaves?
We'll [E] tie them to the branches good and [A] strong.
So come now; we must hurry
So we can [D] keep my sister here,
And [E] show the doctor man that he was [A] wrong.

Chorus:

Don't [E] let the falling leaves take her a-[A]way

Subject: Lyr Req: Leaf On A Tree - Sung by Elvis Presley
From: MickyMan
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 07:39 AM

It is ritten somewhere that Elvis sang a traditional song called "Leaf On A Tree" in a farewell at his junior high. Ever heard of it? I can't find any mention on the web. Come on, fellow Mudcatters! Help me out. My friend asked me for it because he said I'm the professor of "folked up knowledge"! Let's prove him right!