This is one of the songs my mother sang to us kids when we were little. I think this is a little different than the one she used to sing, but I like this version better. It was definitely handed down from my mother's mother who grew up in the Ozarks.
Old Apple Tree
There's an old apple tree in the orchard,
That lives in my memory.
It reminds me of my Pappy,
He was handsome, young, and happy
when he planted that old apple tree.
Apple tree, apple tree,
I remember that old apple tree.
If my Pappy had-a-knowed it,
Well, I know he wouldn’t a growed it,
'Cause he died in that old apple tree.
Oh, one day Pappy took the Wider Norton
Out on a jamboree.
When he brought her home at sun up
Brother Norton raised his gun up
And chased Pappy up in the tree.
Apple tree, apple tree,
Oh, he climbed up in the old apple tree.
And if Pappy had-a-knowed it,
He surely wouldn’t a growed it,
'Cause he died in that old apple tree.
When the neighbors came after my Pappy,
Up in the tree was he.
Oh, they took a rope and strung him
By the neck and then they hung him
To the limb of that old apple tree.
Apple tree, apple tree,
Oh they hung him in the old apple tree.
If my Pappy had-a-knowed it,
Well, I know he wouldn’t a growed it,
'Cause he died in that old apple tree.
Oh my poor Pappy lies in the orchard
Out of his misery.
They cut the tree down for a casket,
Put the apples in the basket,
And my poor Pappy's gone with the tree.
Apple tree, apple tree,
Say goodbye to the old apple tree.
If my Pappy had-a-knowed it,
Well, I know he wouldn’t a growed it,
'Cause he died in that old apple tree.
About Me
- Cheri
- I am at the beginning of a new journey. At 46, I am a single mother of two wonderful young adults who have conquered overwhelming odds to become the wonderful people they are. But I did it! They are living their own lives now, and are having children of their own! Now I'm looking forward to discovering where my life will take me. I will use this blog to track my progress, vent, and keep track of where I want to go. Who knows? I may actually get there someday.
7 comments:
love that song cos my pappy( Dead 50yrs) was always singing it. He would only sing the 1st verse to us when we was kids
i have been searching for the lyrics to this song, my dad always used to sing it for us when we were in the car.....i love him and the song that has stayed with me over the years......thanks so much for posting the lyrics i could
not remember.
My Dad's Dad my grandpa used to sing this song every time we were in his company.I always thought he made the song up. But years latter i found out he didn't make up the song. My grandpa lived till he was 96. Before he died I asked him if he would sing it to my daughter shelbey how was 3 at the time and he said yes. We got them on video. Well God bless him. I will always remember the old apple tree.
My dad used to sing this to me as he worked in the garden in the 1950's. The lyrics are silly but the melody is sweet.
Great memories,
I have been searching for this great old song for a long time It brings back wonderful memories of how my mom was always singing songs for my little sister and me back in the early forties. The Old APPLE TREE IN THE ORCHARD was my most requested song for her to sing for many years. It was so much fun the way mom could sing it out that I would ask for it again and gain. We lost mom back in 2002. But I am full of wonderful memories of my dear mother and the good person she was. Nice to know all the verses again!
My dad used to sing this as well (he's gone now), but the last verse he sang different than this. It went,
Say goodbye,
Say goodbye,
Say goodbye to the old apple tree.
If my Pappy had-a-knowed it,
He never woulda' growed it,
'Cause he died in that old apple tree.
On its surface I have always liked the Coon Creek Girls' version of this song, but puzzle over its violence. I wonder in what society or culture the lynching of a man for committing adultery was the norm. I've speculated that "pappy" was an African-American in the old south. although virtually all U.S. apple orchards are in the north. Is any further history of the song's origins known?
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