Born a fledgling pseudo-solo project of young songwriter Kat Burns, Forest City Lovers took flight in 2006 with the independent release The Sun and the Wind. The band grew up into a fully-realized collaborative outfit and in 2008 launched their critically acclaimed sophmore album Haunting Moon Sinking (Out of This Spark), a collection that bolsters FCL’s signature tunefulness with talented musicianship, strong guitar lines, and swelling string arrangements.
Phodilus and Tyto, a 7” vinyl released at the end of 2009 paved the way for the full-length follow-up, Carriage, being released July 2010 on Out of This Spark. Carriage picks up where Haunting Moon Sinking left off, carrying forward with arrangements and melodies that go from accutely vulnerable to downright sinister. A collection that drifts sonically across decades, Carriage laces 1970s whimsy and elaborate string arragements (Mika Posen) into contemporary pop gems to keep your feet tapping as you go singing down the sunny street.
While Burns and the other Lovers make their home in Toronto, they tour frequently across Canada, the US, and Europe, drawing inspiration for their songs from these migratory ventures into foreign urban and rural environments. With their new album on the horizon, keep an eye out for this unique band of songsters in your hometown.
If I Were A Tree
Forest City Lovers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who needs all those dying leaves?
Follow my roots to the underground
Drink wine with all the thieves
If I were a tree I'd give you wood
Make you a dendrophiliac
I'd have a laugh because I could
Oh my knots and twists are not for that
Uproot from the ground and plant me somewhere I belong
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
Uproot from the ground and plant me somewhere I belong
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
If I were a tree I would age so well,
Oh I'd watch the years paint on your face
Follow my roots to the underground
Oh, watch you disappear without a trace (Tra-a-ace)
Uproot from the ground and plant me somewhere I belong
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
Uproot from the ground and plant me somewhere I belong
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
In the winter when my limbs are so bare.
The Forest City Lovers' song "If I Were A Tree" is a brilliant play on tree imagery to describe romantic relationships. The song's protagonist sings about how if they were a tree, they would shake off their partner. They would not need their partner's negative energy or influences, just like a tree does not need dying leaves. The singer then talks about how their roots would lead them underground, where they would feel a sense of community with other "thieves" who steal resources from above. This part of the song has an eerie tone because of its association with death and decay. However, it also offers a sense of hope that the singer could start over somewhere else.
The second verse offers a more positive take on the tree metaphor, imagining the tree's wood as a tool to bring people together. However, the singer then reminds us that the knots and twists in the wood are not for that, perhaps implying that relationships are not just about sexual gratification or physical attraction.
The chorus talks about uprooting and replanting yourself in a place where you belong, reminding us that we too can grow and evolve as people. The final lines of the song express a sense of impermanence and how our earthly existence fades away over time, but it also implies that the tree will still stand, continuing to grow and exist in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
If I were a tree I'd shake you off
If I were a tree, I would let go of things that no longer serve me.
Who needs all those dying leaves?
Why hold onto things that are dying when they only weigh you down?
Follow my roots to the underground
Come with me to a deeper level, where true growth and nourishment lies.
Drink wine with all the thieves
Find community and connection with those who society deems as outcasts or dangerous.
If I were a tree I'd give you wood
If I were a tree, I would offer myself up for your use and pleasure.
Make you a dendrophiliac
I would arouse your affection for trees and nature.
I'd have a laugh because I could
I would enjoy the power and control I have over my own existence.
Oh my knots and twists are not for that
However, my imperfections and complexities are not for you to exploit or objectify.
Uproot from the ground and plant me somewhere I belong
Move me to a place where I can thrive and belong.
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
During times of vulnerability and exposure, I need to be nurtured and protected.
If I were a tree I would age so well
As I grow and mature, I would gain wisdom and resilience.
Oh I'd watch the years paint on your face
I would witness the passage of time and the effects it has on you.
Oh, watch you disappear without a trace (Tra-a-ace)
Eventually, our time together will come to an end and you will fade away, leaving only memories behind.
In the winter when my limbs are so bare
Even in my barren state, I am still alive and full of potential.
In the winter when my limbs are so bare.
The dormant season is a necessary part of my cyclical growth and renewal.
Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Forest City Lovers
Thank you guys, really appreciate that you're watching! xo
Forest City Lovers
We're heading on tour again soon, please share the video with yr friends :)
fedge
Upbeat and fun song and a really classy video. Kat is gorgeous! Buy the Phodilus and Tyto EP!!!
Sudosudo
lovely tune, love the lyrics too
Marcin Skrzypek
Perfect. The natural echo, reverberation on the recording, the second voice, simple rythm + melody, arrangement, and of course the clip :-) I would see no problem with watching it on TV. If I watched TV :-)
Chang
Beautiful! I love Dufferin Grove... going there today for the farmers' market :) Thanks for posting and all the best!
Choppa J
I just discovered this song looking for a different one, great work! and ima guy that listens to a lot of rap and hard music. this is relaxing and soothing, keep producing!
antoniodimechio
i wish this song were longer so i would not have to keep replaying it!
itsmeLaraB
i love this song! its so chilled... and so does ashton kutcher btw ;) via twitter!
manouchehr7
Nothing can be compared with glorious and splendor of trees