Willow Weep For Me
Harry Lyrics


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Yes, willow weep for me
Willow weep for me
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
Listen to my plea
Listen willow and weep for me

Yes, gone my lovers dream
Lovely summer dream
Gone and left me here to weep my tears into the stream
Sad as I can be
Hear me willow and weep for me

[Chorus:]
Oh, whisper to the wind and say that love's a sin
Leave my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
Murmur to the night to hide her starry light
So none will find me sighing, crying all alone

Oh, willow weep tree
Weeping sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me

[Chorus]

Yes, willow weep tree
Weeping sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me




When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
Yes

Overall Meaning

The song "Willow Weep for Me" by Harry Edison is a mournful ballad that speaks of lost love and heartbreak. The singer addresses a weeping willow tree and asks it to cry for him, to share in his sadness and his tears. The lyrics express the depths of sorrow and despair that come from a broken heart, and the loneliness that accompanies it. The willow tree serves as a symbol of comfort, a friend to share in the singer's pain.


The first verse sets the scene, with the willow tree bending its branches over a stream that flows to the sea. The singer implores the tree to listen to his plea, to hear his sorrowful story. The second verse speaks of a lost love, a summer dream that has faded away. The singer is left alone to weep his tears into the stream, and he asks the willow tree to weep for him as well. The chorus speaks of the pain of love, of the heartbreak that comes with it. The singer asks the wind to whisper that love is a sin, that it can leave a person broken and alone. The night is called upon to hide the stars, to cover the singer's tears and his moans. The final verse echoes the first, with the willow tree bending its branches down to cover the singer as the shadows fall. The weeping tree is the singer's only solace, a reminder that he is not alone in his grief.


The lyrics of "Willow Weep for Me" speak to the universal human experience of heartbreak and loss. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Nat King Cole. The simple melody and poignant lyrics have made it a popular jazz standard, and it continues to resonate with listeners today.


Line by Line Meaning

Yes, willow weep for me
The singer is asking the willow tree to weep for them.


Willow weep for me
The singer is again requesting the willow tree to weep for them.


Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
The singer is asking the willow tree to bend its green branches over the stream that flows into the sea.


Listen to my plea
The artist is asking the willow tree to listen to their plea.


Listen willow and weep for me
The artist is again imploring the willow tree to weep for them after listening to their plea.


Yes, gone my lovers dream
The singer's lover's dream is gone.


Lovely summer dream
The dream that the singer's lover had was lovely and related to summer.


Gone and left me here to weep my tears into the stream
The artist's lover has left them and they are now crying over the stream.


Sad as I can be
The artist is very sad.


Hear me willow and weep for me
The artist is pleading with the willow tree one more time to weep for them.


Oh, whisper to the wind and say that love's a sin
The singer is asking the wind to whisper about love being a sin.


Leave my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
The artist's heart is broken and they are making a moaning sound.


Murmur to the night to hide her starry light
The singer is asking the wind to murmur to the night to hide its starry light.


So none will find me sighing, crying all alone
The singer does not want anyone to find them crying alone.


Oh, willow weep tree
The singer is using another name for the willow tree.


Weeping sympathy
The artist is describing the willow tree as being full of sympathetic tears.


Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
The artist is asking the willow tree to bend its branches down and cover them on the ground.


When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
The singer is again asking the willow tree to weep for them when the shadows fall.


Yes, willow weep tree
The singer is using a mix of different names for the willow tree.


Weeping sympathy
The artist is again referring to the willow tree's ability to weep sympathetically.


Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
The artist is again requesting the willow tree to bend its branches down and cover them on the ground.


When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
The artist is reiterating their request for the willow tree to weep for them when the shadows fall.


Yes
The singer is affirming their previous statements and requests.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ann Ronell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Zeit Geist

The understatement element of his mature playing adds charm to the whole thing; the sound of one who's been around.

LeslyeJoyAllen - JazzMaestra

The most distinctive Trumpet sound in the history of Jazz. You will always know that it's "Sweets" within the first few notes!

Beth Bartlett

LeslyeJoyAllen - JazzMaestra

Exactly! He was that!!!

Axe Man

He might not have had the chops of Dizzy and others, but that sound, and just so much soul.

One of the all time greats.

Beth Bartlett

The energy of his perfection melts my heart -
❤ Sweets -

Peace be with you Harry Sweets Edison ☮

TheophilusBoone

Sweets is the perfect name for a man with his tone and style. Great stuff. I could listen for hours.

Steven Brier

Willow Weep has never been done more spiritually nor more beautifully. I bow religiously before this really Sweet Take

Nuri Majeed

Absolutely sublime

David Cardoza

An absolute delight.

Marion Gautier

God ! It's so good !

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