Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree.

"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree"
Dawn featuring Tony Orlando

Credits to http://www.superseventies.com

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Family Tradition

Display of a Yellow Ribbon is a sign of loyalty to family, friends or loved ones who are welcome home. Customarily it is used to welcome home men and women who have been away for a long time under adverse or particularly difficult circumstances such as war or prison.


Background

Did you ever wonder where the Yellow Ribbon Tradition came from? Most Music Historians trace the Custom to a 19th Century Civil War Song. Reportedly the Custom comes from a Civil War story about a prisoner's homecoming returning from Andersonville Prison. In 1973 Tony Orlando and Dawn cut their number one song of that year and their all-time classic: “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.”

Folklore has it that the inspiration for the 1973 song came from a true incident that occurred on a bus bound for Miami, Florida. It seems that one of the passengers had just been released from prison and he was bound for home. He had written his wife and let her know he still loved her and wanted to be with her. He asked her to tie a yellow ribbon around the lone oak tree in the Town Square of White Oak, Georgia, if she still had feelings for him and wanted him to be with her. Everyone in the bus asked the Driver to slow down as they approached, there it was!
The Driver pulled over and phoned the wire services to share the story. It quickly spread throughout the country. Songwriters Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown wrote the ballad from the news story.

And now, "the rest of the story"! L. Russell Brown had the inspiration for writing the song. One late Spring morning he drove 33 miles to Irwin Levine's house and told him the story of the oak tree. It had nothing to do with any convict or news story. It was about a civil war soldier, a stagecoach and yellow (as Mr. Levine would say: "Use your imagination!") handkerchiefs. Irwin changed the yellow handkerchiefs to ribbons so as not to offend anyone with the reality of what makes handkerchiefs yellow! L. Russell Brown and and Irwin Levine updated the story by changing the stagecoach to a bus. L. Russell Brown picked up a guitar and wrote the first eight or so lines of music and lyrics himself. Irwin picked up the ball and wrote the ending: "100 ribbons round the ole oak tree". There was discussion about use of the word damn and then the ole song was written. According to L. Russell Brown: "Sorry Paul Harvey, but now you know the rest of the story"

“Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree” was released in February 1973. It was the number one hit by April 1973.

The song became a hit again in 1981 when the 52 Iran Hostages were returned after 444 days of captivity. The song was played throughout the United States because by then the Yellow Ribbon had become a symbol of loyalty



Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree
(As recorded by Tony Orlando & Dawn)
IRWIN LEVINE
L. RUSSELL BROWN

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I'm comin' home I've done my time
Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine
If you received my letter tellin' you I'd soon be free
Then you'll know just what to do if you still want me
If you still want me.

Woah tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years, do ya still want me
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us
Put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree

Bus driver please look for me
'Cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see
I'm really still in prison and my love she holds the key
A simple yellow ribbon's what I need to set me free
I wrote and told her, please
Woah tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years do ya still want me
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us
Put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree

Now the whole damn bus is cheering
And I can't believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons round the ole oak tree
I'm comin home, mmm hmm
Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree

(c) Copyright 1972 by Tridem Music. (c) Copyright assigned 1973 Five Arts Music.
(c) Copyright assigned 1973 Levine & Brown Music, Inc.