[edit] Career
Henson's career started in his home state of Oklahoma, performing at clubs around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. His family was active in politics and raised buffalo on a ranch outside Oklahoma City. In the mid 1960s, Henson moved to Nashville and became a member of the vocal group The Kimberlys. After leaving the group, Henson started on his solo career, and in 1967, he signed with Monument Records, and he immediately scored in a big way with a song called "Skip a Rope". The song became a huge hit, spending six weeks at Number 1 on the country charts in 1968 and also making the Top 25 on the Pop charts.
[edit] After Skip a Rope and Later Career
After "Skip a Rope", Cargill continued to have Top 20 hits with such songs as "Row Row Row" (1968), "None Of My Business" (his only other Top 10) (1969), and "The Most Uncomplicated Goodbye I Ever Heard" (1970). Later, he had a television show, Country Hayride, and performed for many years in Reno and Las Vegas. Johnny Cash was godfather to his oldest son, Cash.
After leaving Monument Records, Henson moved to Mega Records in 1971, where he scored several minor hits. In 1973, he made a strong comeback to the charts when he signed with Atlantic Records and scored 2 Top 30 hits in 1974 with "Some Old California Memory" and a version of Mac Davis' "Stop And Smell The Roses". In 1980, he formed his own record label Copper Mountain Records and he scored his last Top 30 hit that year with "Silence On The Line". In the late 1980s he retired to Oklahoma City and died on March 24, 2007
Tall Oak Tree
Henson Cargill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the bubblin' brook loved a mountain high
And the mountain high loved the sky above
The creator looked down and saw everything was loved loved loved
Then he picked up a bone and a piece of mud
He made a man and a woman to be flash and blood
Then along came a devil up bottom ground
If she'd've left that apple in that apple tree
There'd be no tears and sorrow we'd live eternaly
Then along came man to burn the oak tree down
And the bubblin' brook was a solid ground
And the mountain high don't stand so high
And there's a cloud of smoke that covers up a clear blue sky
There was a tall oak tree there was a tall oak tree
There was a tall oak tree there was a tall oak tree
The lyrics of the song "Tall Oak Tree" by Henson Cargill depict a story that starts with nature being in harmony. The tall oak tree is in love with the bubbling brook, which is in love with the mountain high, which is in love with the sky above. The creator looks down at this beautiful creation and sees that everything is loved. Then, the creator creates man and woman out of bone and mud. However, the devil comes along and tempts the woman, leading to the spread of sin. The woman eats an apple that she is not supposed to, and this leads to tears and sorrow.
The song then takes a dramatic turn when man comes along and burns down the tall oak tree, which was once in love with the bubbling brook. This brings an end to the once-beautiful relationship between nature and man, causing the mountain high to not seem so high anymore. The destruction of the oak tree also leads to a cloud of smoke covering up the clear blue sky.
The song leaves a powerful message of the importance of living in harmony with nature and avoiding the temptation of sin. It also shows the destructive power of man, who can bring an end to the beautiful relationships that nature has to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a tall oak tree that loved a bubblin' brook
The oak tree and the brook had a deep connection and affection for each other.
And the bubblin' brook loved a mountain high
The brook had great admiration for the majestic mountain towering over it.
And the mountain high loved the sky above
The mountain was fascinated by the vast and endless sky above it.
The creator looked down and saw everything was loved loved loved
God observed that all of creation was filled with love and affection for one another.
Then he picked up a bone and a piece of mud
God created humans using ordinary materials like bones and mud.
He made a man and a woman to be flash and blood
God created Adam and Eve, the first humans, with a physical body and all its vulnerabilities and strengths.
Then along came a devil up bottom ground
Satan, the devil, made an appearance in the world.
He tempted woman and that's spred sin all around all around all around
Through his temptation, Satan introduced sin and corruption into the world, which spread widely.
If she'd've left that apple in that apple tree
If Eve had not eaten the forbidden fruit and instead left it on the tree,
There'd be no tears and sorrow we'd live eternaly
Humanity would have avoided death and sadness and lived forever in paradise.
Then along came man to burn the oak tree down
Humans destroyed the oak tree, which had once been a symbol of love and beauty in the world.
And the bubblin' brook was a solid ground
After the oak tree was burned, the brook lost its source of happiness and security.
And the mountain high don't stand so high
The majestic mountain lost much of its splendor and grandeur due to human interference.
And there's a cloud of smoke that covers up a clear blue sky
The pollution created by humans obscures the natural beauty of the world.
There was a tall oak tree there was a tall oak tree
The repetition of this line emphasizes the tragic loss of the once-beautiful oak tree.
There was a tall oak tree there was a tall oak tree
The repetition of this line emphasizes the tragic loss of the once-beautiful oak tree.
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Ron Taylor
on So Many Ways of Saying She's Gone
first time ive heard all these songs-wonderful