Dutton, born in Philadelphia, began playing guitar at age 8. He wrote his first song by the time he was in the 9th grade and began playing harmonica in a wire rack. Dutton credits Bob Dylan and John Hammond Jr., as well as then-contemporary "old school" hip-hop sounds of Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, and Philadelphia's own Schooly D as influences.
Dutton, still in high school at Germantown Friends School, began playing solo on the streets of Philadelphia. After a year of college, he relocated to Boston, working as a fundraiser for Peace Action and playing wherever and whenever he could. One of his few indoor gigs at this time was a Boston bar called The Tam O'Shanter, where he met drummer Jeffrey "The Houseman" Clemens in January 1993. Dutton and Clemens began working as a duo, they were joined a few months later by bassist Jim "Jimi Jazz" Prescott and became the house band on Mondays at The Plough and Stars in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The name G. Love doesn't really have that much of a story to it. The 'G' stands for Good as said in many radio interviews. He said in an interview that the 'Love' was just there because it sounded right.
G. Love featured Jack Johnson on his 1999 LP Philadelphonic playing an early version of Jack Johnson's "Rodeo Clowns" when Jack was an unknown artist. Jack later featured the song on his 2003 LP On and On.
Known nowadays for his excellent live shows, he is often seen touring with Jack Johnson, who signed G. Love to his record label Brushfire Records. He has made appearances on the records of artists such as Slightly Stoopid and Donavon Frankenreiter.
Willow Tree
G. Love Lyrics
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Surround you with my lonely
And my day
Let me grow in the shade
In the sand
The banks by your river
Let me drink from your stream
We will sing together
Water over the bevel
I stand by your side forever
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
Sweet river caress how softly
?
Maybe the sun in the summers heat
Let it cool you
We have been dancing so long
In the winters freeze
The summers drought
We survive
We belong
Let us sing together
Water over the bevel
I stand by your side forever
I wish I was
Your weeping
Willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
Let us sing together
Water over the bevel
I stand by your side forever
Let us sing together
Water over the bevel
I stand by your side forever
We can sing together
Water over the bevel
I stand by your side forever
Let me be
Your willow tree
Your willow tree
In G. Love’s song “Willow Tree”, the artist personifies the weeping willow tree as a symbol of loneliness and devotion. The singer is offering to be the “weeping willow tree” for his beloved, to surround her with his own loneliness and provide shade and protection. He wishes to grow in the shade by the banks of her river, to drink from her stream, and to stand by her side forever. The lyrics suggest that the relationship between the singer and his beloved has endured through difficult times, such as droughts and freezing winters, and that they belong together.
The repeated line “Let us sing together / Water over the bevel” serves as a reminder that despite the challenges they have faced, the couple has survived and will continue to do so. The water flowing over the bevel represents the ups and downs of the relationship, while the act of singing together implies a commitment to each other and to weathering any future challenges. The overall tone of the song is one of yearning, devotion, and steadfastness.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me be your weeping willow tree
I want to be the one who comforts you and encapsulates you in their loneliness.
Surround you with my lonely
I want to share my pain with you and let you know that I understand your sadness.
And my day
My sadness is an ever-present part of my life that I want to share with you.
Let me grow in the shade
I want to support you and give you shelter from the heat of life's struggles.
In the sand
I will stay with you through the tough times, even when it's difficult to stand.
The banks by your river
I want to be there with you through the different seasons of life by the water's edge.
Let me drink from your stream
I want to drink in the life that you bring to me and be reinvigorated by your presence.
The cool breeze fill my limbs
I want to feel reinvigorated and alive in your presence.
We will sing together
We will share our experiences and emotions, and support each other through our struggles.
Water over the bevel
We will face the challenges of life together and overcome them, emerging stronger than before.
I stand by your side forever
I promise to always be there for you through thick and thin, and to support you through whatever comes our way.
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I want to be strong and resilient like the willow tree, and to provide comfort and shelter to those I care about.
Sweet river caress how softly
The gentle flow of the river is a metaphor for the softness and compassion that we can provide to each other in our times of need.
?
The meaning of this line is unclear and open to interpretation.
Maybe the sun in the summers heat
Even in the hottest summer days, we will find a way to stay strong and resilient together.
Let it cool you
Let our friendship and love provide a cooling, calming presence in your life.
We have been dancing so long
We have been through so much together, and our bond is stronger because of it.
In the winters freeze
Even in the darkest, coldest times, we will find a way to provide warmth and comfort to each other.
The summers drought
Even in the toughest, driest times, we will find a way to keep ourselves and our relationship alive and thriving.
We survive
We have been through it all, and we have come out on the other side stronger than ever before.
We belong
We are meant to be together, and our bond will endure whatever life throws our way.
Let us sing together
We will find joy in sharing our experiences and emotions with each other.
I wish I was your weeping willow tree
I want to be there for you in all of life's ups and downs, providing comfort and shelter whenever you need it.
Let me be your willow tree
I want to be your support system, your constant presence in good times and in bad.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Garrett Dutton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind