The members of The Band first worked together as The Hawks, the backing band of rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins from 1959 until 1963. Shortly afterwards, Bob Dylan came to Toronto and recruited the quintet for his history-making 1965/1966 world tour. The Band also worked with Dylan on the initial Blonde on Blonde sessions which, bar two tracks, were ultimately abandoned in favour of versions recorded with Nashville session musicians.
After a motorcycle accident in mid-1966, Dylan retreated from the public eye to his country house near Woodstock, New York. He was joined by the Band for some informal jam sessions starting in the autumn of 1967, nearly all of which were recorded. After being heavily bootleged, Columbia Records finally released The Basement Tapes in 1975, a selection of the better tracks recorded during the sessions along with new recordings by The Band.
Bob Dylan and The Band were reunited in 1974, recording Planet Waves for Asylum Records, Dylan's first album recorded for a record label other than Columbia. Although the album was released under Dylan's name alone, The Band joined Dylan for his first tour in eight years in support of Planet Waves, with some of the material recorded and released on the 1975 concert record Before the Flood.
Columbia Records finally released The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete in November 2014, featuring every surving recording from the original sessions in Woodstock.
Apple Suckling Tree
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Old man down and caught and hooked down there
Old man down like a county hook, my man
Line up baby, y'all take a look
Pull him down in a county hook, my man.
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree
Now I wish to my soul I had seven years, uh-huh
Now I wish to my soul I had seven years, uh-huh
Hey, if I fall on your buryin' ground
Didn't catch your name, but he had a hound
Bad on down there on the avenue, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree oh yeah
The lyrics of Bob Dylan and The Band’s song “Apple Suckling Tree” are open to interpretation, as with Dylan’s style in general. The imagery of the apple tree could be perceived as symbolic of the Garden of Eden or childhood innocence. The repetition of the phrase “Underneath that apple suckling tree, oh yeah” gives a sense of longing and desire for something innocent and pure. The singer wishes to escape reality and return to a time where life was simple and there were no complications.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn, where an “old man” is caught and “hooked down there” which could suggest being caught in a trap or being corrupted. The line “line up baby, y’all take a look, pull him down in a county hook, my man” gives the impression of a lynching or hanging, which could be a commentary on race and injustice in America. The final verse “now I wish to my soul I had seven years” suggests regret and a desire to reverse past actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Beneath the apple tree, definitely
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Beneath the apple tree, absolutely
Underneath that tree
Under the tree
There's just gonna be you and me
It's going to be just you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Beneath the apple tree, for sure
Old man down and caught and hooked down there
An elderly man captured and pulled down
Old man down like a county hook, my man
An elderly man pulled down, like a hook used in local law enforcement
Old man down and pulled hooked
An old man taken down and restrained
Line up baby, y'all take a look
Come and see for yourself
Pull him down in a county hook, my man.
Taken down like a criminal
Now I wish to my soul I had seven years, uh-huh
I wish I had more time
Now I wish to my soul I had seven years, uh-huh
I really wish I had more time
Hey, if I fall on your buryin' ground
If I should die on your property
Didn't catch your name, but he had a hound
I didn't get his name, but he had a dog with him
Bad on down there on the avenue, oh yeah
Not good down the street
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Beneath the apple tree, for sure
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Beneath the apple tree, definitely
Underneath that tree
Under the tree
There's just gonna be you and me
It's going to be just you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree oh yeah
Beneath the apple tree, absolutely
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@malbuff
This is what Bob actually sings on this track:
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Old man down like a county hook, my man
Old man down like a county hook, my man
Old man down and pulled and hooked
Line up baby, y'all take a look
Old man down in a county hook, my man
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree, on yeah
Now I wish to my soul I had seven years, uh-huh
Now I wish to my soul I had seven years, uh-huh
Hey, if I fall on your buryin' ground
Don't catch your name, but he had the hound
Bad on down there on the avenue, oh yeah
Underneath that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Well, underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah
Underneath that tree
There's just gonna be you and me
Underneath that apple suckling tree oh yeah
@duncandonitz4874
I can't sit still to this one. It's that organ, gets me every time.
@colinwilliams553
....I know, right?my toes won't stop unless the song is over by the way, the organ solo is done courtesy of GARTH HUDSON.
@malbuff
It's Danko's bass gets me. And Robertson on the drums just pounding a 1-2.
@sophie-grace9143
@@malbuff What I love about the drums is, it's so primitive. It sounds like he has a wooden spoon and two tea-chests. It's bloody great.
@thescoobymike
He has so much great material it’s ridiculous
@jamesdavison8709
A great double CD
@AlexColberg
There's no such thing as an apple suckling tree. Dylan made it up. His creativity comes from so many directions.
@sophie-grace9143
No shit, Sherlock?
@jamesdavison8709
Oh no, they’re real common
@levimatthew8911
My aunt has one.