As a member of the United States Merchant Marine, Husky entertained the troops on his ship in World War 2. After the war, Husky became a DJ in Missouri and Bakersfield, California, where he began using the moniker Terry Preston in order to hide his rural roots. He also recorded " Gone " under the name of Terry Preston and was a semi-hit.. He re-recorded it in later 50's and was a hit.. As a honky tonk singer, Husky signed with Capitol Records in 1953 under the guidance of Cliffie Stone, also the manager for Tennessee Ernie Ford. With Capitol Records, he reverted to his given name. A few singles failed before "A Dear John Letter" with Jean Shepard became a #1 hit. The followup was called "Forgive Me John".
In 1955, Husky had a solo hit with "I Feel Better All Over (More Than Anywhere's Else)"/"Little Tom", and developed Simon Crum as a comic alter ego. As Crum, Husky signed a separate contract with Capitol Records and began releasing records, the biggest of which was 1959's "Country Music is Here to Stay" (No. 2 for three weeks).
In the late 1950s, Husky had a long string of hits, including the #1 "Gone", (he first recorded Gone as Terry Preston in 1952) and he began an acting career on the Kraft TV Theatre program and the film Mr. Rock & Roll. Bob Ferguson's "Wings of a Dove" became his biggest hits, topping the country charts for ten weeks and attaining #12 on the pop charts. Although he didn't have any more number 1's, between 1961 and 1972 he had over two dozen hits with the biggest of which being the Top 5's, "Once" (1967) and "Just For You" (1968). In late 1972, after over 20 years with Capitol Records, Ferlin signed with ABC Records, where he scored several Top 40 hits into 1975 with the biggest of his hits there being the Top 20 "Rosie Cries A Lot" (1973). Ferlin briefly retired in 1977 following heart surgery but resumed touring after that. He remains a popular concert draw, performing at the Grand Ole Opry and elsewhere.
Willow Tree
Ferlin Husky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blue grows the willow tree outside my door it knows my heart will be happy no more
Willow tree willow tree green leaves turned to blue
Willow tree willow tree you're weeping too
Poor little willow tree blues as the sky the day that you left me I saw it cry
Willow tree willow tree...
It knows my heart will be yours through the years
Willow tree willow tree...
Willow tree willow tree you're weeping too
In Ferlin Husky's song "Willow Tree," the lyrics seem to be expressing the sadness and sorrow that the singer is going through after a relationship has ended. The willow tree is a strong metaphor that is used throughout the song to represent the singer's emotions. The willow tree is said to be weeping as the green leaves turn to blue, which symbolizes how the singer is feeling. The blue color represents sadness and melancholy, and it is clear that the singer's heart is equally blue and unhappy.
The next verse continues to describe the willow tree as the singer's heartache grows deeper. The tree seems to be pouring its pain into the world, as it cries and weeps for the lost relationship. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the last line of the verse, when the singer says that the tree will always represent his love, and no matter what happens, his heart will always be connected to the tree.
In the final verse, the metaphor of the willow tree is seen in a slightly different light. This time, the tree is growing stronger from the tears that it has been watered with. This line can be interpreted as the singer's hope that the pain of the lost relationship will eventually transform into something positive, such as personal growth or strength. Even though the relationship has ended, the singer's heart will always be connected to the tree, which will continue to grow and thrive.
Line by Line Meaning
Willow tree willow tree you're weeping too
The singer is personifying the willow tree and acknowledging that it's weeping, just like the singer is.
Blue grows the willow tree outside my door it knows my heart will be happy no more
The willow tree outside the singer's door has turned blue, which likely symbolizes the singer's sadness. The tree seems to understand that the singer's heart won't be happy anymore.
Willow tree willow tree green leaves turned to blue
The green leaves on the willow tree have turned blue, reinforcing the idea that the tree somehow reflects the singer's emotional state.
Poor little willow tree blues as the sky the day that you left me I saw it cry
The artist affectionately refers to the willow tree as 'poor little' and notes that it seemed just as sad as the artist did on the day that their loved one left. The artist even claims to have seen the tree cry, further emphasizing the idea that the tree's emotions are tied to the artist's.
Blue grows the willow tree watered with tears
Continuing the theme of the tree representing the artist's sadness, the song suggests that the tree's blue color is a result of being watered with tears. This could be interpreted either literally (if the artist is actually crying near the tree) or figuratively (if the artist believes the tree is absorbing their sadness somehow).
It knows my heart will be yours through the years
Despite the heartbreak that's just been described, the singer seems to be hopeful about the future. They suggest that the willow tree understands that the singer's heart will stay committed to someone else ('yours') for years to come.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BETTIE HUSKY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tarquin45
My late brother had the album from which the song came from. It was called 'Some Of My Favorites' and it didn't have a weak track on it. He gave it to me and I still have it. Probably, 'Willow Tree' is the best track.
@Squee_Dow
From the instant that steel guitar starts to whine, I'm back on that pavilion dancing with some fine Texas cowboy. Will someone please invent a time machine?
@chuckacker3024
i'd love to waltz across texas with you
@chuckacker3024
ah, when the country boys do a sing, its done right