14 Aug 97 - 09:07 AM (#10386) Subject: Lyr Add: THE BABY TREE (Rosalie Sorrels) From: Mountain Dog The post requesting lyrics to "Today's the day they're giving babies away" reminded me of this one. THE BABY TREE 1. There's an island way out in the sea Where the babies, they all grow on trees And it's jolly good fun To swing in the sun But you've gotta watch out if you sneeze, sneeze You've gotta watch out if you sneeze. 2. Yes, you've gotta watch out if you sneeze For swingin up there in the breeze, You're liable to cough, You might very well fall off And tumble down, plop, on your knees, knees Tumble down, plop, on your knees. 3. And when the stormy winds wail And the breezes blow high in a gale There's a curious plopping and dropping and flopping And fat little babies just hail, hail Fat little babies just hail. 4. Well, the babies they lie in a pile And the grown-ups they come after 'while And they always pass by all the babies that cry And they take only babies that smile, smile They take only babies that smile. Even triplets and twins if they'll smile. It has a very singable, sea-chantyish melody that lends itself to a rolling baritone like mine and has proved a great favorite with nieces, nephews and other youngsters for whom I've sung it. Not sure about its origins. I first heard it on the "Sunfighter" album, a Grace Slick/Paul Kantner collaboration done to celebrate the birth of their daughter (originally named 'god', later changed to 'China'). I don't know if they wrote it or cribbed from somewhere else. In any case, a fun tune to sing and sing along with. |
14 Aug 97 - 09:29 AM (#10389) Subject: RE: The Baby Tree From: Bert Hansell What a lovely song. Any chance of a melody line? Bert. |
14 Aug 97 - 09:50 AM (#10392) Subject: RE: The Baby Tree From: Mountain Dog Dear Bert, I'd be happy to make you a tape of my rendition, if you'd like. (Unfortunately, I neither read nor write in standard musical notation, being more of an "ear" man. My brother is the classically trained "musicianer" in the family.) Send me your mailing address at donr@msgonline.com and the tape will be on its way. |
14 Aug 97 - 12:20 PM (#10409) Subject: RE: The Baby Tree From: dick greenhaus Mountain Dog- If you'd send me a tape, I'll transcribe it into the database. dick greenhaus 28 Powell St. Greenwich CT,06831 |
14 Aug 97 - 01:25 PM (#10419) Subject: RE: The Baby Tree From: Mountain Dog Dear Dick, I'm honored! I'll get a tape off to you in the next week or so. (Gee, who'd have thought I could become a MIDI without going to Annapolis?!?) |
14 Aug 97 - 02:41 PM (#10424) Subject: RE: The Baby Tree From: dick greenhaus Hell, if you tried hard enough you could even be a WAV |
14 Aug 97 - 04:52 PM (#10443) Subject: RE: The Baby Tree From: Mountain Dog Dear Dick, 'Spose that would require casting me anchors away, though, eh matey? Ouch! |
27 Jul 16 - 11:23 PM (#3802349) Subject: Add: The Baby Tree (Rosalie Sorrels) From: Joe Offer This is a post from Jean Ritchie, and I want to make sure it doesn't get lost. Thread #50412 Message #765538 Posted By: kytrad 14-Aug-02 - 08:41 PM Thread Name: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away Subject: Lyr Add: THE BABY TREE (Rosalie Sorrells)
Rosalie Sorrells wrote the song, "THE BABY TREE," and our company, Geordie Music Publishing Co., published it for her in 1970. A few years later, she formed her own publishing company and we assigned her songs to her (I believe her company is Grimes Music). I don't think she'd mind my setting down the words here- it's a charming song! |
28 Jul 16 - 09:42 PM (#3802519) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Baby Tree (Rosalie Sorrels) From: GUEST,Gerry Paul Kantner recording of this song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UALb0NLZM3M |
28 Jul 16 - 11:40 PM (#3802529) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Baby Tree (Rosalie Sorrels) From: leeneia Thanks, Gerry. |
29 Jul 16 - 12:31 AM (#3802531) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Baby Tree (Rosalie Sorrels) From: Janie There is a tribute album to Rosalie that will be released this fall. Wonder if this lovely song will be on it? |
27 Apr 21 - 12:19 PM (#4103717) Subject: RE: Origins: 'The Baby Tree' by Rosalie Sorrels From: GUEST,# The following thread discusses the song. That may be of some help to you. mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=50412 thread.cfm?threadid=50412 |