Lyr ADD: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)

Subject: Words to Berry Tree
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 11:28 AM

Years ago I heard the lines:

"The higher up the berry tree, the sweeter grow the berries; the more you hug and kiss a girl, the more she wants to marry."

There has to be more to the song than that. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Words to Berry Tree
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 02:41 PM

Whippoorwill: In my part of the country, that verse was slipped into any number of songs. In my performances I quite frequently use it as part of the old song -Shady Grove-.

Subject: RE: Words to Berry Tree
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 02:46 PM

Hey--I'm back. It's in the digitrad under -Blue-Eyed Girl-. It also fits well in -Old Joe Clark-, and I notice that some of the verses in Blue-Eyed Gal are verses which I learned as part of Old Joe Clark.

Subject: RE: Words to Berry Tree
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 02:56 PM

Thanks, Bill.

I just remembered where I heard the verse. First, I remember reading it sometime in the late 40s or early 50s in a commentary on folk music by Burl Ives. Not too long after, a character named Bushrod Gentry (and why did I remember his name?) sang it in the movie The Kentuckians.

Subject: RE: Words to Berry Tree
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 03:34 PM

I remember the song; I remember the movie. I don't remember the tune, however. As I said earlier, I have encountered that particular verse in many different traditional songs in my area of the Appalachians.

Subject: RE: Words to Berry Tree
From:
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 05:26 PM

The melody as I remember it, is something like:

5 | 5 1 1. 1/ | 3 1 1. 1/| 6 1 1 1/ 6 5- ^5 | ^5 3 4 2 | 3 1 2. 5/ | 5. 5/ 7 2 | 2 1-

This is a shorthand system of notation I devised for myself - there are probably others that are better, but it works for me and is easier than do-re-mi.

5, 6 and 7 are sung below the root note unless preceded by a ^ indicating up. 2, 3, and 4, of course, are above. Measures are indicated by | A dotted quarter is 1. An eighth note 1/ 1- indicates a half note. A dotted half would be 1-- and a whole note would be 1---

Subject: RE: Words to Berry Tree
From: Cruiser
Date: 28 Sep 03 - 10:44 PM

I don't know if Whippoorwill (1997) is still around, but "The Berry Tree" was definitely the theme song from the 1955 movie "Many Rivers To Cross" with Robert Taylor as "Bushrod Gentry" and Eleanor Parker as the spunky "Mary Stuart Cherne".

Does anyone know if it is the same "The Berry Tree" song that charted (CashBox) in 1955 by Bill Hayes (the same year he charted with "The Ballad of Davy Crockett")? Seems like a coincidence, if not. I have not been able to find it on CD or Cassette tape. No one was credited with the theme vocal although Cyril J. Mockridge was credited for the soundtrack music. Even though it has some of the same lyrics as "Blue-Eyed Gal" and others, it has a very different melody. Below is what I posted on IMDb about the song and movie about a year ago:

I have been searching for the theme song of this movie "The Berry Tree" since I saw it once as a 6-year-old kid in 1955 or 56. I've hummed the melody and sung the few lyrics I remembered since then. I finally got the VHS tape last week (from videorarities.net) and what a pleasure. This is a fantastic frontier comedy and it brings back fond memories of me as a young kid wearing a Davy Crockett coonskin cap and singing the song. Here are the lyrics to the song if anyone else has wondered what they were for 45 years or so, as I had. From other comments here, this song made an indelible impression on almost everyone that has heard it.

The higher up the berry tree the sweeter grows the berry
The more you hug and kiss a gal the more she wants to marry
The berry tree's a wise old tree the sweetest fruit is his'n
But marryin' up with any gal is just like goin' to prison

(Bridge)

Peaches in the summertime, apples in the fall
Till I find the gal I want, a-gonna have none at all

Cause higher up....

Cruiser

Subject: Lyr Add: 'The Berry Tree'
From: Cruiser
Date: 29 Sep 03 - 12:04 AM

The higher up the berry tree the sweeter grows the berry

The more you hug and kiss a gal the more she wants to marry

The berry tree's a wise old tree the sweetest fruit is his'n

But marryin' up with any gal is just like goin' to prison

(Bridge)

Peaches in the summertime, apples in the fall

Till I find the gal I want, a'gonna have none at all

Cause higher up the berry tree the sweeter grows the berry

The more you hug and kiss a gal the more she wants to marry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Words to Berry Tree
From: Cruiser
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 12:56 PM

'Many Rivers To Cross' will be aired on the Turner Classic Movie channel on Sunday October 17 @ 6:00 AM (EST).

This is a rare 1955 movie that is not often aired so this would be a good chance for you to make a tape of it and get that neat song "The Berry Tree", a piece of Americana.

I got this reminder from TCM that they send 1 week and 24 hours before a program airs:

{Quote}
You have asked us to remind you that "Many Rivers To Cross" (1955) is playing on TCM on October 17, 2004 at 06:00 AM (EST). Don't forget to watch, and thank you for visiting turnerclassicmovies.com.

Thank you,

Your friends at TCM

*NOTE*: A TCM programming day begins at 6:00am on the calendar day listed and runs to 5:59am in the morning on the next day. Hours listed at 12:00am to 5:59am in your reminder will be shown on the FOLLOWING calendar day. {End Quote}

Cruiser

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Words to Berry Tree
From: GUEST,Refresh
Date: 16 Oct 04 - 03:32 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Berry Tree
From: Cruiser
Date: 24 Oct 04 - 06:07 PM

I just bought the rare "The Berry Tree" 45 rpm for $3.00 from an Internet site:

Cadence-1261 Bill Hayes Blue black hair/The berry tree DJ VG++ $3

It was written by Saul Chaplin (Saul Kaplin)

From Sonwriters Hall of Fame:

{Quote}

Saul Chaplin was born Saul Kaplin in Brooklyn, New York on February 19, 1912, and attended New York University's School of Commerce with the intention of becoming an accountant. A self-taught pianist, he earned money while in school by playing with local bands. One night in 1933 he was approached by another band member, Sammy Kahn, who suggested they try writing songs together.

They quickly discovered that they enjoyed working together, and soon they were writing as many as ten songs a day. The twosome made money for a time as writers of special material for entertainers at resorts in the Catskills and in 1934 they had their first published song, "Rhythm Is Our Business", which became a Number I hit for bandleader Jimmy Lunceford. In the process, they ceased to be Kahn and Kaplin, changing their names to Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin.

{End Quote}

The Berry Tree charted at #43 in 1955 and it was sung by Bill Hayes who had a #1 hit in '55 with THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT.

My long search is finally complete: I taped the movie the song was the theme of "Many Rivers To Cross" and I bought the song a few days later. This search would have been impossible without the Internet, what a great tool.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Berry Tree
From: GUEST,Al
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:00 PM

The Berry Tree was also a hit single in the 50s by Jimmie Rogers, but I can't find a reference to his version anywhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Berry Tree
From: GUEST,Al
Date: 27 Feb 10 - 01:16 PM

More Lyrics that I remembered:

Til I find a fair faced gal, then with her I will tarry
and we will raise a family
and we will live so happily\
and that's the gal I'll marry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Berry Tree
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 08:53 PM

ASCAP.com says that Saul Chaplin wrote THE BERRY TREE.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: Cruiser
Date: 28 Mar 10 - 11:25 PM

The DVD of 'Many Rivers to Cross' (1955) is available @ Amazon for $12.49 and I just received my order.

Many Rivers to Cross & Soundtrack 'The Berry Tree'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 06 Sep 12 - 10:49 PM

Here it is on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 11:01 AM

Thanks for the link, 999.

That song has stuck with me from girlhood. There are still times when I warble the chorus while cleaning up the kitchen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST,Jonluthier
Date: 30 Mar 13 - 09:39 AM

The higher up the berry tree the sweeter grow the berries.
The more you hug and kiss a girl the more she wants to marry.
The berry tree's a wise old tree the sweetest fruit is hidden.
But marrying up with any girl is just like going to prison.

Fe fi fiddle de de out a wondering alone and free,
Depends on where I want to be and if I want company
I'll find a gal who is fair of face and with her I will tarry.
We'll settle down so peacefully and we will plant a berry tree.
And she will be just right for me.
And that's the gal I'll marry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 05 Nov 15 - 07:41 AM

Thanks to all of you for finding this song and its history. I too saw the movie as a kid and often remembered it, like the other lady, humming what bits I could remember. Strange how many of us were touched by the same things....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Nov 15 - 11:30 AM

"But marrying up with any girl is just like going to prison."

Here's a nice teaching opp for you parents and grandparents. Tell your girls that any guy who talks like this is a poor prospect for a husband or lover. A guy who talks like this is deadbeat dad material.

This song has stayed in people's minds because of its jaunty tune and catchy rhymes, as I can testify myself. But when we learn all the words, it loses a lot of its charm.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 18 - 01:13 AM

CHORUS: The higher up the cherry tree The riper grows the berry;
The more you hug and kiss the girls The sooner they will marry.

Over the hill to feed my sheep And over the river to Charley
Over the river to feed my sheep On buckwheat cake and barley.

How old are you, my pretty little Miss? How old are you, my honey?
She answered me with a "Ha, ha" laugh,"I'll be sixteen next Sunday."

Where do you live, my pretty little Miss? Where do you live, my honey?
She answered me with a sweet to be, "In the loom house with my mammy."

Run along, my pretty little Miss, Run along home, my honey,
Run along home, my pretty little Miss, I'll be right there next Sunday.

Papa's gone to New York town, Mamma's gone to Dover,
Sister's wore her slippers out A-kicking Charley over.

Take her by the lily-white hand, And lead her like a pigeon;
Make her dance the Weevily Wheat Till she loses her religion.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BERRY TREE (Saul Chaplin)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Dec 18 - 01:03 PM

You can hear this at The Internet Archive:


THE BERRY TREE
Written by Saul Chaplin, From the MGM Production "Many Rivers To Cross".^[*]
As recorded by Bill Hayes, 1955.

The higher up the berry tree, the sweeter grows the berry.
The more you hug and kiss a gal, the more she wants to marry.

The berry tree is a wise old tree and the sweetest fruit is his’n,
But marryin’ up with any gal is just like goin’ to prison.

Oh, fee, fie, fiddle-dee-dee,
I’ll keep a-wanderin’ alone an’ free
Till I’m where I want to be,
Then if I want company—

I’ll find a gal who’s fair of face and with her I’ll tarry.
We’ll settle down so peacefully,
We will plant a berry tree,
And she will be just right for me,
And that’s the gal I’ll marry.

[various repeats]

* This information from the record label.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Berry Tree (Saul Chaplin)
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Apr 23 - 06:01 PM

Higher Up the Berry Tree song from the 1955 movie

After searching for years, I found one reference that Sheb Wooley sang this song in the movie. Bill Hayes (an accomplished man now 97 years old) sang on the 45 rpm.