Apple Blossom
Esperanza Spalding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her branches cradle slipping,
Buds, yawning open,
Welcome by an aging man
He greets them fondly
With memories of when
Her bows were arms that held him as a younger man
Together, they would marvel at
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
Every year where they used to go walking
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The winter in his heart,
And their apple blossoms
(Apple blossoms)
In summer they would dream
Of being three and smile,
Imagining how round,
As the apples on the ground
That fall, they loved and waited
But winter came too soon
Before their seed could bloom
She wilted from the chill
And all fell cold and still
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
Every year where they use to go walking
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The winter in his heart,
And their apple blossoms
As he opened the after, as she fell
He prayed heaven would be waiting to meet her
He kisses her cold cheek goodbye,
But he couldn't surrender the hope of staying silent
So in her fallen hands he placed a seed from their favorite tree
And he laid her to rest beneath the blanket of white
'Till they'd meet again in the spring time
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms,
Every year where they used to go walking
Walking, hmm, mmm
Walking
And from above she's always watching
But her body lies beneath the apple blossoms
Apple blossoms
Blossom
Blossom
Blossom
Mother of the spring
The sleeping bud she cradles,
Slowly, unopened
Welcome by an aging man
He greets them fondly
Fondly, beneath the apple blossoms
Beneath the apple
The song “Apple Blossom” by Esperanza Spalding speaks of the passing of time and the cycle of life in nature. The central imagery of the song revolves around an apple tree in the spring, and how its blossoms evoke memories for an aging man. The lyrics describe the man’s relationship with the apple tree, how it reminded him of his youth, and how he shared this experience with a loved one. However, the woman has since passed away and the man now visits the apple tree alone, reminiscing and hoping for a reunion in the next life. The song reveals the beauty and transience of life and the deep, tender connection between humans and the natural world.
The lyrics are rich with metaphor and symbolism. The apple tree is personified as a mother, nurturing and cradling the sleeping buds that will soon awaken. The buds represent potential and promise, while the fall of apple blossoms is symbolic of death and the bittersweet loss of what could have been. The man’s memories and his desire for reunion with his departed loved one are expressed in poetic language that reflects the depth of his emotions.
Overall, “Apple Blossom” is a poignant and contemplative song that invites the listener to reflect on the passing of time and the fragility of life. The images of the apple tree and its blossoms are a powerful reminder of the beauty and ephemerality of nature, and the human experience of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother of the spring
Referring to the apple tree, which is the mother of the spring season when it blooms. Sets the scene for the rest of the song.
Her branches cradle slipping,
The tree's branches support and nourish the fruit/capable buds until they are ready to bloom.
Buds, yawning open,
Describes the apple tree buds opening slowly and awakening to the start of the spring season. The tree is personified as yawning due to a sense of contentment.
Welcome by an aging man
An elderly man greets the budding apple tree with a sense of joy.
He greets them fondly
The man greets the apple tree's blooming with a great deal of affection.
With memories of when
The man recollects the moments he shared with the apple tree in his younger days.
Her bows were arms that held him as a younger man
The man remembers how he used to be embraced by the tree's branches as if they were arms when he was younger. Implies that the apple tree held an emotionally significant place in his life's journey.
Together, they would marvel at
The man recalls how he would stand with the apple tree and appreciate the wonders of the spring season together.
The birth of spring time
Describes the start of the season of renewal and rebirth as the apple tree blooms, hinting towards the importance of acceptance and the fragility of life.
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
The man returns to the same tree every year to recollect memories he shared with his loved one in the past, emphasizing the emotional depth of his connection.
Every year where they used to go walking
The man and his loved one used to walk and appreciate the flowery fragrance of the apple tree. It's bittersweet for him to return in her absence.
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The man speaks as if he is directly addressing his loved one and reminiscing old memories regarding the passing seasons.
The winter in his heart,
The man is grieving the loss of his loved one and feels a sense of emptiness that is further associated with a cold and melancholy winter.
And their apple blossoms
A poignant reminder of the memorable moments they shared together with the tree.
In summer they would dream
In the summer, things were much brighter as they shared a common dream
Of being three and smile,
The apple tree is personified as smiling and symbolizing a warm sense of harmony.
Imagining how round,
They looked forward to the future when their growing family would be given a chance to grow.
As the apples on the ground
A reference to the decay of the apples on the ground that symbolize death and decay.
That fall, they loved and waited
They eagerly awaited their harvest and would savor the taste of the apple orchards.
But winter came too soon
Their time to see their dreams come to fruition was cut short.
Before their seed could bloom
The man and his loved one's dream never came to life due to a destructive winter season.
She wilted from the chill
Implies that his loved one was emotionally vulnerable and succumbed to the trauma related to grief, resulting from their shared loss.
And all fell cold and still
The man felt alone and devastated following his loved one's death. He lost interest in the things he once loved, referring to the emotional numbness that followed.
As he opened the after, as she fell
A focus towards the man's bravery and emotional prowess even when he is grieving deeply.
He prayed heaven would be waiting to meet her
Despite his grief, the man hoped that his loved one found peace in the afterlife.
He kisses her cold cheek goodbye,
The man wanted to have closure, which he found by kissing his loved one's cold cheek before her funeral.
But he couldn't surrender the hope of staying silent
He couldn't bring himself to let go of his loved one and therefore secretly placed a seed from the apple tree in her fallen hands, signifying their hope of being reunited in the future.
So in her fallen hands he placed a seed from their favorite tree
The apple seed represents the love and memories they shared together.
And he laid her to rest beneath the blanket of white
His loved one was buried in a white sheet, representing purity and peace.
'Till they'd meet again in the spring time
A hope that the two of them would be reunited in the future during the season of rebirth and renewal, signifying hope and positivity.
Walking, hmm, mmm
A quick interlude, signifying the man and his loved one walking together in the apple tree orchard.
And from above she's always watching
The loved one's soul is symbolized as watching over her partner.
But her body lies beneath the apple blossoms
A reminder that the loved one has already passed on.
Blossom
A repetition of the word 'blossom,' emphasizing the importance of hope and acceptance in the face of grief and loss.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Esperanza Spalding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Juliana.g.a_
Mother of the spring
Her branches cradle slipping,
Buds, yawning open,
Welcome by an aging man
He greets them fondly
With memories of when
Her bows were arms that held him as a younger man
Together, they would marvel at
The birth of spring time
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
Every year where they used to go walking
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The winter in his heart,
And their apple blossoms
(Apple blossoms)
In summer they would dream
Of being three and smile,
Imagining how round,
As the apples on the ground
That fall, they loved and waited
But winter came too soon
Before their seed could bloom
She wilted from the chill
And all fell cold and still
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
Every year where they use to go walking
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The winter in his heart,
And their apple blossoms
As he opened the after, as she fell
He prayed heaven would be waiting to meet her
He kisses her cold cheek goodbye,
But he couldn't surrender the hope of staying silent
So in her fallen hands he placed a seed from their favorite tree
And he laid her to rest beneath the blanket of white
'Till they'd meet again in the spring time
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms,
Every year where they used to go walking
Walking, hmm, mmm
Walking
And from above she's always watching
But her body lies beneath the apple blossoms
Apple blossoms
Blossom
Blossom
Blossom
Mother of the spring
The sleeping bud she cradles,
Slowly, unopened
Welcome by an aging man
He greets them fondly
Fondly, beneath the apple blossoms
Beneath the apple
@jtzab
This song brings the stars, novas, black holes, God, flowers, birds, the past, and present all to your foot and only asks that you just listen. Small request, huge reward.
@onlyconnect6674
jtzab so beautifully expressed...
@eniggie
I saw her today live at purdue. this song bought tears to my eyes. she is so amazing and so talented
@pandanleaves6221
"Apple blossom" this is one of the most ethereal music I know, just beyond everything. I ❤️ esperanza
@Juliana.g.a_
Mother of the spring
Her branches cradle slipping,
Buds, yawning open,
Welcome by an aging man
He greets them fondly
With memories of when
Her bows were arms that held him as a younger man
Together, they would marvel at
The birth of spring time
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
Every year where they used to go walking
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The winter in his heart,
And their apple blossoms
(Apple blossoms)
In summer they would dream
Of being three and smile,
Imagining how round,
As the apples on the ground
That fall, they loved and waited
But winter came too soon
Before their seed could bloom
She wilted from the chill
And all fell cold and still
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms
Every year where they use to go walking
And he tells her about the summer and the autumn,
The winter in his heart,
And their apple blossoms
As he opened the after, as she fell
He prayed heaven would be waiting to meet her
He kisses her cold cheek goodbye,
But he couldn't surrender the hope of staying silent
So in her fallen hands he placed a seed from their favorite tree
And he laid her to rest beneath the blanket of white
'Till they'd meet again in the spring time
Now he stands beneath the apple blossoms,
Every year where they used to go walking
Walking, hmm, mmm
Walking
And from above she's always watching
But her body lies beneath the apple blossoms
Apple blossoms
Blossom
Blossom
Blossom
Mother of the spring
The sleeping bud she cradles,
Slowly, unopened
Welcome by an aging man
He greets them fondly
Fondly, beneath the apple blossoms
Beneath the apple
@rhlc1915
https://genius.com/Esperanza-spalding-apple-blossom-lyrics
@davidgeer430
I went and bought this album after she won a Grammy award for this and I had to hear what she sounded like...... I wasn’t disappointed 💯💯
@rsinatra
viva milton nascimento, eternamente magnífico.
@prikiinha
I love and respect Milton Nascimento so much. The voice that he had when he was younger was the most beautiful male singing voice ever. Well, his voice is still nice, but it doesn't even compare... (if someone wants to check out, I recommend "O que será", by Chico Buarque , there's a video with Milton and Chico here). Regarding Esperanza, she's amazing. Her voice sounds like angels... I adore her and her music.
@darylp2280
make a movie from this song