101 Strings was an umbrella term for a highly successful easy listening sym… Read Full Bio ↴101 Strings was an umbrella term for a highly successful easy listening symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding a hundred albums and a creative lifetime of roughly thirty years. Their LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and sepia-toned photo of the orchestra. According to the photograph, the 101 Strings orchestra was composed of 124 string instruments (all male except for the harpist) and was conducted by Wilhelm Stephan. The orchestra's famous official photograph was taken in the Musikhalle Hamburg. In reality, of course, the recordings also featured a full brass, woodwind and percussion section, and not quite as many strings as are shown in the photograph. In later years (right up to the 80's), the recordings were made by a session orchestra in London, with a line-up including a modern "pop" rhythm section. In the late 1990's, the 101 Strings Orchestra was revived with "The New 101 Strings Orchestra" for a series of modern recordings.

The Green Leaves Of Summer
101 Strings Orchestra Lyrics

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A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'.
The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
'Twas so good to be young then, in a season of plenty,
When the catfish were jumpin' as high as the sky.

A time just for plantin', a time just for ploughin'.
A time to be courtin' a girl of your own.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,

And to stand by your wife at the moment of birth.

A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'.
The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
'Twas so good to be young then, with the sweet smell of apples,
And the owl in the pine tree a-winkin' his eye.

A time just for plantin', a time just for ploughin'.
A time just for livin', a place for to die.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.

'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.

Overall Meaning

The song Green Leaves of Summer by 101 Strings Orchestra is a nostalgic and melancholy reflection on the passing of time and the beauty of youth. The opening lines of the song, "A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'," speak to the cyclical nature of life and the seasons. The green leaves of summer, a symbol of vitality and growth, call the singer home, perhaps to a simpler time of his youth.

The second stanza speaks to the joys of being young, particularly in a season of plenty when there was an abundance of food and life seemed abundant. The lyrics describe how it was good to be close to the earth and to stand by your wife at the moment of birth. The references to catfish jumping and the sweet smell of apples give the song a distinctly rural American feel.

The final stanza brings the song full circle, referencing again the time to be reapin' and sowin', and reaffirming the longing for home that was introduced at the beginning of the song. The lyrics "a time just for livin', a place for to die" acknowledge the inevitability of mortality and the importance of cherishing the time we have.

Overall, Green Leaves of Summer is a beautiful meditation on the passage of time and the memories and connections that sustain us throughout our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'.
There's a season for harvesting and a season for planting.

The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
Nature is calling me back to my roots.

'Twas so good to be young then, in a season of plenty,
Life was great when I was young during times of abundance.

When the catfish were jumpin' as high as the sky.
The fish were plentiful and full of life.

A time just for plantin', a time just for ploughin'.
There's a time for planting and a time for plowing.

A time to be courtin' a girl of your own.
A time to find a significant other and build a relationship.

'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
Being connected to nature was important and fulfilling.

And to stand by your wife at the moment of birth.
Being present for the birth of your child was a special moment.

The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
Nature is calling me back to my roots.

'Twas so good to be young then, with the sweet smell of apples,
The smell of apples was a sign of a good harvest and a pleasant memory.

And the owl in the pine tree a-winkin' his eye.
The owl's presence was a comforting and familiar sight.

A time just for livin', a place for to die.
Life is for living and death is a natural part of it.

Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
Nature is calling me back to my roots.

'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
Being connected to nature was important and fulfilling.

Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
Nature is calling me back to my roots.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DIMITRI TIOMKIN, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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