Lemon Tree (a cover in the style of Peter, Paul & Mary)

Words and music: Will Holt (1960) The music of this song is based on the Brazilian popular song "Meu limao meu limoeiro". It's been covered by artists like Peter Paul & Mary, Trini López, Sandie Shaw, Roger Whittaker, etc.

The Illustrations of this video come from the great artist Laurel Neustadter:

http://laurelneustadter.blogspot.com/2008/07/illustration-friday-sour.html

Lyrics:

When I was just a lad of ten, my father said to me,
"Come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree."
"Don't put your faith in love, my boy", my father said to me,
"I fear you'll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree."

Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

One day beneath the lemon tree, my love and I did lie
A girl so sweet that when she smiled the stars rose in the sky.
We passed that summer lost in love beneath the lemon tree
the music of her laughter hid my father's words from me:

Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

One day she left without a word. She took away the sun.
And in the dark she left behind, I knew what she had done.
She'd left me for another, it's a common tale but true.
A sadder man but wiser now I sing these words to you:

Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• lemon
• tree
• peter
• paul
• mary
• trini
• lopez
• oldies
• folk

[PatrickWall12]

This and Lonnie Donegan are the best ever versions of this great song.

[HerpDerpDuur]

i sort of lold when I read this part in The Things They Carried

[Demoralizerap]

@allyspaz that's why I looked it up lol.

[Allyspazz]

this song in a book called the things they carried

[kirscolb]

can anyone upload the peter paul and mary version of lemon tree? I miss it

[Kiki0501]

well done Crooner0810 ....Two thumbs up for you

[PrincessTinkerbells]

i like peter paul and mary's version better but the illistrations (spelling?) in this video are too cute not to like the video.

[pattarasila59]

Beautiful rendition of this great song. Great video too. Thanks for this talented share my friend.

[hasbeensinger]

Very nice my friend, very well sang and nice arrangement I have not heard this song in years. Thank you for posting. Jim