February 2009 Offering Of The Month:
"Giving Tree"
Melody & Lyrics by Rev. James Martin, Music by JM & EJ
© 2009 Everlasting Arms Records & Publishing - All Rights Reserved
"He who trusts in his riches shall fall;
but the righteous shall blossom like a branch."
-Proverbs 11:28
Inspired by Shel Silverstein's classic and poignant book
"The Giving Tree", Pastor Jim wrote "Giving Tree"
in 1977 for a children's play at his church, long before
we met.Melody & Lyrics by Rev. James Martin, Music by JM & EJ
© 2009 Everlasting Arms Records & Publishing - All Rights Reserved
"He who trusts in his riches shall fall;
but the righteous shall blossom like a branch."
-Proverbs 11:28
In Mr. Silverstein's story about a relationship between a generous giving tree and a little boy, the tree is only happy when the boy is happy... The tree starts out as the boy's playground and shade provider. When the boy wants to play "king", the tree offers up her leaves and he makes a crown out of them. When the boy grows older and wants for money, the tree offers up her apples for him to sell. When he's older still and wants a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy (now too old to play in the tree), wants a boat so he can sail far away, she offers her trunk so he can make a boat out of it. What is left is a stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. & T."
After a long time, the boy returns once more as a very old man, needing (for the first time, rather than wanting) a place to sit and rest. The stump rises up as straight as a stump is able and obliges.
"And the tree was happy."
While one can debate the implications of the book, the message in Jim's song is unmistakable. I loved this brief, catchy, simple and poignant song since Jim first sang it for me, but it was really just a short message intended to go with the children's play, rather than a full-fledged song. Nevertheless, last year, I added "Giving Tree" to the list of songs that were candidates for "Songs From The Father". Jim deleted it, saying he didn't really think it fit...
Being persistent, in preparation for a recent recording session for the CD, I re-visited the song. It was originally a fast, rather bouncy number without a real ending. As I worked with it, in an attempt to make the message more powerful, I slowed it down and stripped away all the layers and arranging, adorning the lead vocal with just the bare minimum piano and then adding a choir (Kirsten and me) who represent the "branches".... I also had an idea for how it should end...
When I played the new arrangement for Jim, at first he thought I should sing it and left it to me to finish it, but then at the end of the recording session, he decided out of the blue to try it out. I'm glad he did and I'm glad I persisted.
A long story about a short song, but there you go.
Enjoy!
. . . . .
Work continues on recording On Broken Wings.
At this point God willing, we hope to be able to complete
recording of it by this summer. We're scheduled to get
together with Meredith in June to record her backing vocals,
followed hopefully by mixing and mastering in July/August.
Your kind words and prayers for the Martin family in the wake
of Pastor Jim's passing have been greatly appreciated through
this difficult time.
Work continues on recording On Broken Wings.
At this point God willing, we hope to be able to complete
recording of it by this summer. We're scheduled to get
together with Meredith in June to record her backing vocals,
followed hopefully by mixing and mastering in July/August.
Your kind words and prayers for the Martin family in the wake
of Pastor Jim's passing have been greatly appreciated through
this difficult time.