Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an A… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'".

In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.

A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.

He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).

Willow Tree
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Willow willow) weeping willow willow willow weep for me

I found my love neath the willow tree
Her kiss was sweet as a kiss could be
And oh she loved me tenderly beneath the willow tree
Willow willow weeping willow willow willow weep for me

And then one day neath the willow tree

My own true love said goodbye to me
So I told my troubles to the tree now the willow weeps for me
Willow willow weeping willow willow willow weep for me

Now here I am neath the willow tree
In hopes my love will return to me

And as I wait here patiently the willow weeps for me
Willow willow weeping willow willow willow weep for me

Overall Meaning

The song Willow Tree, by Johnny Tillotson, is a heartfelt and melancholic piece about love and loss. The song tells the story of a man who finds and loses his true love beneath a willow tree. The opening line, "Weeping willow, weep for me," sets the tone of the song, as the willow tree serves as a symbol for the sorrow and longing that the singer feels.

As the story unfolds, we learn that the singer's love was sweet and tender, but one day, she left him. The singer turns to the willow tree for solace, sharing his troubles with it. The willow tree becomes a metaphor for his beloved's absence, and it is the only thing that can understand his pain.

In the final verse, the singer remains under the willow tree, hoping for his love's return. The tree, once again, weeps for him, representing the ongoing sorrow and yearning that he feels. The song is a poignant reminder that even though love can bring immense joy, it can also bring heartache and grief.

Overall, Willow Tree by Johnny Tillotson is a beautiful and emotional song that has touched many people's hearts over the years.

Line by Line Meaning

(Willow willow) weeping willow willow willow weep for me
The singer is asking the willow tree to cry on their behalf

I found my love neath the willow tree
The singer found love under a willow tree

Her kiss was sweet as a kiss could be
The singer's loved one had sweet kisses

And oh she loved me tenderly beneath the willow tree
The artist's loved one loved them affectionately under the willow tree

And then one day neath the willow tree
One day while under the willow tree

My own true love said goodbye to me
The singer's loved one said goodbye

So I told my troubles to the tree now the willow weeps for me
The singer shared their sorrow with the willow tree, which now cries for them

Now here I am neath the willow tree
The artist is back under the willow tree

In hopes my love will return to me
The artist hopes their loved one will come back to them

And as I wait here patiently the willow weeps for me
The artist waits patiently under the willow tree while it cries for them