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06 Aug 98 - 04:11 PM (#34273) Subject: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Ralph Butts I found this request buried in another thread. A favorite of mine, but oooollllld!.....Tiger
I'M TYING THE LEAVES SO THEY WON'T COME DOWN
Playmates were they, girl and lad.
Lad, with a tear, climbs a tree.
"I'm tying the leaves so they won't come down, So the wind won't blow them away, For the best little girl in the whole wide world, Is lying so ill today.
Her young life must go when the first leaves fall.
Sad mother grieves, day by day,
Doctor brings joy one sad day.
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06 Aug 98 - 07:08 PM (#34291) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Bill D hmmm...I have heard the bluegrassy version of this done to death...didn't know there was an old version! A lot more to this one... |
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06 Aug 98 - 09:53 PM (#34306) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Mark Clark That's wonderful! You don't specify a melody but it strikes me that the melody for "The Lighting Express" would fit this pretty well. How oooollllld would you say the song is? I have a recording of Sam & Kirk McGee (from sunny Tennessee) singing a similar theme. The chorus went: The leaves mustn't fall, oh no they mustn't fall, I'm tying the leaves so they will stay, I've lost my mom and dad, now sister's all I have, Don't let the falling leaves take her away. The verses were of a small boy trying to get a passing stranger to help tie the leaves back to the trees because the doctor had told him his sister would die "when the autumn leaves have turned and start to fall." I have never researched the song but assumed it came from the era when dying children songs were popular; tunes like "Little Joe," "Put My Little Shoes Away" and "There'll Be No Blind Ones There" come to mind. Perhaps people will post some other "leaves" variants - Mark |
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24 Oct 98 - 06:35 PM (#43118) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Gene Moon Mullican also recorded the song that Mark refers to. ... The Leaves Mustn't Fall I have it on an old R-T-R [somewhere]... and I have the other version also I'm Tying The Leaves So ... by Elton Britt and also by Grandpa Jones... Will find them and compare lyrics |
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27 Oct 98 - 11:45 AM (#43391) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Art Thieme Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) recorded this for RCA. I had to drive from Chicago to Calgary to find his old LPs. |
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25 Nov 98 - 11:55 PM (#46833) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Dale Rose Here is my first contribution since finding the Duke University Sheet Music Site
I'm Tying The Leaves So They Won't Come Down was written in 1907, with words by E.S.S. Huntington, and music by J. Fred Helf. Mac and Bob must have had access to the sheet music or a close source, because their wording is nearly identical. The two biggest differences, and they are relatively slight are, "I'm fixing them fast so they'll stay" rather than tight, and "Doctor brings joy one glad day" instead of sad. That one makes more sense anyway. |
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26 Nov 98 - 12:21 AM (#46835) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: BSeed Which came first, the song or the O Henry story ("The Last Leaf")? --seed |
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23 Oct 99 - 01:58 PM (#127211) Subject: Lyr Add: THE LEAVES MUSTN'T FALL (Moon Mullican) From: Gene THE LEAVES MUSTN'T FALL Words and music by Dorothy Sebastian and Jack Kenney As recorded by Moon Mullican, 1950. 1. The autumn leaves were falling and the snow was soon to come As I was walkin' down a lonesome road I saw a little fellow; he was sittin' all alone A-catchin' leaves as they came tumblin' down. CHORUS: The leaves mustn't fall, oh, no, they mustn't fall. I'm tyin' the leaves so they will stay. I've lost my mom and dad; now sister's all I have. Don't let the fallin' leaves take her away. 2. My little sister's seven and she's sure a pretty thing, As pretty as a picture on the wall. The doctor came this summer and he said that she would die When autumn leaves have turned and start to fall. CHORUS 3. So, won't you help me, mister? Won't you help me tie the leaves? We'll tie them to the branches good and strong, And if we tie them tightly, We can keep my sister here And show that doctor man that he is wrong. CHORUS |
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24 Oct 99 - 10:46 AM (#127471) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Fred I believe this song became popular from a rendition by that grand old ballad singer, Bradley Kincaid (anyone remember him?) A version with the lyrics posted above can be found on a Grandpa Jones album still found in cut-out bins. Those wanting the melody can find it there, although Grandpa uncharacteristically struggles with the tune and its odd chord changes. |
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24 Oct 99 - 05:51 PM (#127573) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Gene See 'FALLEN LEAVES' in - * Digital Tradition Database * Also Falling Leaf |
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24 Oct 99 - 06:28 PM (#127586) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Stewie It was reissued on 'Mac and Bob: Lester McFarland and Robert Gardner' Birch Records 60091. Both artists were blind and met at the Kentucky School for the Blind in 1915. Their theme song was 'Tis Sweet to Be Remembered'. And they deserve to be so. Cheers, Stewie. |
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09 Mar 02 - 11:35 PM (#666066) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: katlaughing Just heard this on www.hober.com radio the other day. I didn't catch who was doing it, but it sounded like an old recording. Beautiful song. Thanks for having the words posted. Now I can learn it! I have it on tape and could email it to anyone who might need the tune. kat |
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10 Mar 02 - 11:53 AM (#666299) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: masato sakurai The direct link to the sheet music at Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 (from Duke University).
I'm tying the leaves so they won't come down(1907) ~Masato |
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08 Feb 03 - 04:41 AM (#885377) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Felipa there's more info on the O Henry story mentioned by Seed at the "trying to find an old Irish tune" thread; see clickable link at top of this page |
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23 Jul 07 - 03:47 PM (#2109498) Subject: RE: LYR ADD: I'm Tying The Leaves So...... From: Peace Link from the link from the link from the suggestion from the thread from the . . . . Here--I hope. |
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24 Jul 07 - 10:29 PM (#2110592) Subject: Lyr Add: I'M TYING THE LEAVES SO THEY WON'T COME.. From: Jim Dixon I checked the sheet music (See Masato's link). Only a few words are different from the ones posted by Ralph Butts above, but they are significant. I have put them in boldface: I'M TYING THE LEAVES SO THEY WON'T COME DOWN Words, E. S. S. Huntington. Music, J. Fred Helf. New York: Helf & Hager, 1907. 1. Playmates were they, girl and lad. She's home today. lad feels sad. Doctor who calls, whispers low, "When the last autumn leaves fall, then she must go." Lad with a tear climbs a tree. "I'll keep her here," murmurs he. Big man in blue sternly cries, "What are you doing there?" Lad replies: CHORUS: "I'm tying the leaves so they won't come down, so the wind won't blow them away, For the best little girl in the wide, wide world is lying so ill today. Her young life must go when the last leaves fall. I'm fixing them fast so they'll stay. I'm tying the leaves so they won't come down, so Nellie won't go away." 2. Sad mother grieves, day by day, Watching the leaves, hears boy say: "You mustn't cry, for, you see, I have tied all the leaves fast up on the tree." Doctor brings joy one glad day. Mother tells boy, "Nell will stay." Lad at girl's side, cries with glee: "That's what I said one day in the tree. CHORUS |
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19 Aug 07 - 07:03 AM (#2129039) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: GUEST,irican where can I get the music? My grandpop used to sing this and we all thought of it when he died of cancer, I called it the "felling of an oak" as he was a big man , reduced by the ravages of the disease. I so wanted to hear the music to this as it would make him seem "here: again. Thanks for the link. |
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19 Aug 07 - 09:26 AM (#2129078) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: Mick Pearce (MCP) irican - if you use the link posted by Masato, a few posts above (10 Mar 02), it will take you to the sheet music. The link takes you to the cover page; you can use the numbers at the top of the screen there to go from page to page (1=cover). Mick |
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19 Aug 07 - 10:52 AM (#2129121) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: Bill D you can hear a 1907 recording on this page, which may be close to what your grandfather heard. |
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05 Jul 12 - 10:10 AM (#3372328) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: GUEST,zara where can i download this song |
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05 Jul 12 - 10:16 AM (#3372331) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: maeve Guest zara- You'll find a download link in Bill D's 19 Aug 07 10:52 AM post just before yours. |
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05 Jul 12 - 10:22 AM (#3372337) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: GUEST thanks for the reply but i want the mac & bob version |
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09 Oct 13 - 12:30 PM (#3565448) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: GUEST http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBJIbOrUqjI&feature=share I just found this on youtube. I thought it might help you. My mom used to sing the chorus to us with a story she'd tell about the little boy trying to prevent his sister's death. But in her story, they both ended up happy in heaven together. I'm sorry about the loss of your grandfather. Perhaps he and my sweet mother are comparing notes now in heaven. :) |
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10 Oct 13 - 12:37 PM (#3565710) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I'm Tying the Leaves So They Won't Come.. From: Ron Davies Charlie Moore does an absolutely wonderful version of "The Leaves Mustn't Fall". I have it--somewhere-- on tape. If I could only learn how to get the tapes onto CD, this would help considerably. I've even bought the gadget needed but still can't figure it out. |