Introduction:
“Singing Tree” by Elvis Presley is a song featured on his 1967 album Clambake. This track was recorded on September 11, 1967, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, a prominent location for many of Elvis’s sessions during this era. The song was written by Arthur L. Owens and Archie Solberg, and it showcases a melodic and heartfelt performance typical of Elvis’s late 1960s style.
The instrumental backing for “Singing Tree” included several notable musicians, such as Harold Bradley, Scotty Moore, and Chip Young on guitar, Bob Moore on bass, and D.J. Fontana and Buddy Harman on drums. Floyd Cramer contributed piano, while Charlie McCoy added depth with harmonica and organ. The song also featured backing vocals from The Jordanaires and Millie Kirkham, enhancing its layered, rich sound. This composition blends pop and country elements, which were central to Elvis’s evolving musical direction during this period.
Although “Singing Tree” was not released as a single, it remains a part of Clambake, an album that aligns with Elvis’s movie soundtrack work of the time. The album received mixed reviews but is often appreciated for its glimpses of Elvis’s vocal artistry, as heard in tracks like this one.
Video:
Lyrics:
“Singing Tree”
(from “Clambake” soundtrack)
And fanned the flame when our love began
So don’t pretend you don’t know me
Our names are carved on you, singing treeOh singing tree
Sing to me
Call your friend
The roving wind
Maybe he can find my love
And bring her back, singing treeYour leaves have turned from green to blue
Sometimes I think you loved her too
But since she left and our love died
You stand petrified, singing tree
Oh sing to me
Singing tree
Call your friend
The roving wind
Maybe he can find my love
And bring her back, singing tree
Oh sing to me
Singing tree
Call your friend
The roving wind
Maybe he can find my love