Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Nov 13 - 06:20 PM

There is a copy offered on Ebay of the 1929 original, but postage wanted for delivery to Canada is too high,

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Nov 13 - 06:13 PM

The sheet music came out in 1929. Miller Music Inc.

Brown, Raskin and Eliscu the original composers, as noted before. I have not seen their lyrics.

Dick Robertson, 1930, was one of two original recorders.

Subject: Lyr Add: THEY CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Nov 13 - 01:20 PM

You can hear this version on YouTube:

THEY CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE
As recorded by Dick Robertson w/Orch, 1930, released as Brunswick 4785 & Supertone S-2207.

Stop a while and listen to my story.
I've just come down from the hills.
I went there to find my childhood sweetheart
Midst the roses and the whippoorwills.
I returned to look for the old pine tree
That haunted my memory so.
It was there she said she'd be waiting for me
When we carved our hearts long ago,
But the old pine tree was gone.
Still my love for her lingers on.

They cut down the old pine tree (pine tree),
And they hauled it away to the mill (to the mill)
To make a coffin of pine
For that sweetheart of mine.
They cut down the old pine tree.

But she's not alone in her grave tonight,
For it's there my heart will always be.
Though we'd drifted apart,
Still they cut down my heart
When they cut down the old pine tree.

[Instrumental break]

But she's not alone in her grave tonight,
For it's there my heart will always be.
Now I always will roam,
For they cut down my home
When they cut down the old pine tree.

They cut down the old pine tree (pine tree),
And they hauled it away to the mill (to the mill).
There'll be no cradle of pine
For a baby of mine.
They cut down the old pine tree.

But she's not alone in her grave tonight,
For it's there my heart will always be.
Now I'm lost and forlorn.
Wish I'd never been born,
Since they cut down the old pine tree (the old pine tree).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: 12-stringer
Date: 24 Nov 13 - 10:44 PM

Yes, they did, with one possible exception. Luther sings 2 choruses, separated by some instrumental work. The version in the DT has 3 choruses. I don't remember if the sheet music had the "I'm forlorn/wish I'd never been born" chorus, which Luther didn't use and so I never learned it from the 78. Song was no longer in my active repertoire by the time the sheet music came along, 1971 or 1972.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Nov 13 - 12:30 PM

Did Carson Robison Trio sing the lyrics as published in the sheet music?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: 12-stringer
Date: 23 Nov 13 - 11:06 PM

No, they're part of the original song and go exactly where they are placed in the DT. See Jim Dixon's post above from 8/19/10, and this time click on the link in it. This takes you to the 1930 recording by the Carson Robison Trio. Frank Luther is the singer, doing a dead-on Vernon Dalhart impression.

The verse consists of three strains: "Stop a while and listen ... " followed by "I returned to look ..." which ends on a II7-V7 "Where we carved our hearts long ago." Then "[V7, held from the end of the previous strain]But the old pine tree it was gone/Still my [II7]love for her lingers [V7] on," and into the chorus, which also has two strains. Makes perfect sense if you listen to the record.

At one time I owned both Conqueror 7732, with the Robison/Luther recordings of this song and "She Was Bred in Old KY", and the 1930 sheet music, the latter picked somewhat idly from a box of old music which I've kicked myself ever since for not negotiating a "how much for the whole box" price. Most of it was 1920/30 pop, which at the time did not particularly interest me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Nov 13 - 09:06 PM

june, That is part of the reason that I would like to see the original sheet music.
Those two lines in the DT do seem out of place.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: GUEST,june bourke
Date: 23 Nov 13 - 05:27 PM

the two lines after the first two verses do not make sense.
they do not fit in with this song at that place.
can some one tell me if this is correct or not?
thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 12:45 PM

Does anyone have the original sheet music from 1929 (Eliscu, Hill, Raskin)?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:13 AM

Is the lyric by Carson Robson Trio identical to that of the writers Joseph P. Raskin, George Brown and Eddie Eliscu?
Does anyone have original sheet music? (Possibly LSQ Music Co.)

ASCAP lists original writers as Edward Eliscu, William J. Hill and William Raskin, title "They Cut Down the Old Pine," Work ID 500058137, and list variation "They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree."
Raskin, Brown and Eliscu may have re-written the song, but it is not listed at ASCAP under those names.

(Folk Music Index had the name Eliscu incorrectly as Ellison).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 07:18 AM

You can hear a recording of THEY CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE sung by the Carson Robison Trio on April 30, 1930 at The Internet Archive. It reveals an important error in the lyrics in the DT. It should be

There'll be no cabin [not "coffin"] of pine
For that sweetheart of mine.

THEY CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE was also recorded by Gene Autry, Black & White, Buck Wilson & His Rangers, Dan Parker w/Orch, Dick Robertson w/Orch, Frank Luther, Frankie Marvin, Gene Carroll - Glen Rowell, Hart & Ogle, Joe Rines & His Orch, Louisiana Rounders, Paul Mason, Redd Evans & His Billy Boys, Rice Brothers Gang, Tennessee Moonbeams, Tommy & Willie, Tune Wranglers. This information is from the Online 78-rpm Discographical Project.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From: GUEST,Visitor
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 09:46 PM

I've seen this song attributed to Billy Hill (author of 'The Last Round-Up', etc.). Why?

The Sons of the Pioneers sang a much more cheerful version in the 1943 movie King of the Cowboys:


They cut down the old pine tree
And they hauled it away to the mill,
To make a cabin of pine for that sweetheart of mine,
They cut down the old pine tree.

Though I'm far away from my love tonight
It's there my heart will always be,
Though we've drifted apart, she is still in my heart
They cut down the old pine tree.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From: GUEST,truckerdave
Date: 26 Dec 02 - 07:17 PM

By doggies, that's the same song they sang a couple verses on Lum and Abner(very loudly and badly). I didn't know it was a real song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From: RangerSteve
Date: 26 Dec 02 - 12:20 PM

Dick, if you're going to be at the Levines' house on Jan 4, I'll sing the tune for you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 25 Dec 02 - 12:43 PM

Kendall-
There seems to be two extra lines here. Is this right? And if so, what't the tune for those lines?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From: RangerSteve
Date: 25 Dec 02 - 06:57 AM

Billy, yes, I'm definately interested in the second verse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 08:32 AM

Kendall was just quoting the part missing from the Digital Tradition file, which can be seen at THEY CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE. If you know a verse that isn't already quoted there, please do add it here. With luck, someone will harvest Kendall's contribution now that it's been revived.

We appear to be lacking the tune also...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: the old pine tree
From:
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 07:01 AM

Chorus is:

They cut down the old pine tree, and they hauled it away to the mill,
To make a coffin of pine for that sweetheart of mine, they cut down the old pine tree.
But she's not alone in her grave tonight, it's there that my heart will always be. Though we've drifted apart they cut down my heart when they cut down the old pine tree.

I know the second verse too if anybody's interested

Subject: the old pine tree
From: kendall
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 12:01 PM

While surfing for lyrics I noticed that the song "They cut down the old pine tree" in the dt is not complete. For those who care..

Stop a while and listen to my story
I've just come down from the hill
I went there to find my childhood sweetheart
Among the roses and the daffodils/Whip o wills? I returned to look for the old pine tree
That haunted my memory so,
It was there she said she'd be waiting for me
When we carved our hearts long ago,
But, the old pine tree is gone
But, my love for her lingers on

They cut down the old pine tree
And hauled it away to the mill etc.