Rothery met Hannah Stobart during the Brave tour after a gig in Bristol with some fellow musicians. Shortly afterwards she sent him a tape containing her versions of a song by All About Eve together with "Me And A Gun" by Tori Amos. In her voice, he says, "I finally found what I had been looking for for years: a cross between Kate Bush and Tori Amos: vocal purity! On top of that Hannah's a very clever girl [she's studied French and Italian at a university in France], she doesn't have an ego, she looks enchanting and it's a pleasure to work with her."
The long awaited second album 'Ostara' will be released in march 2009. The Wishing Tree will perform at the Marillionweekends (see www.marillionweekend.com) in both CenterParcs Port Zélande (Netherlands) and Montreal Canada.
Evergreen
The Wishing Tree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Naive in the glow of evergreen
Innocent days, of fresh airs and graces
The bruising of hearts, the losing of races.
Passionate days, remember them well
The devil may care of evergreen
We measured success in the stains on the back seat
Evergreen
Sweet evergreen
You are all the love
There's ever been
You are all to me
And more sweet evergreen.
Gentle the breeze that blows through the trees
Caressing the leaves of evergreen
We married in haste, young lambs to the slaughter
We weep in the arms of a favourite daughter.
Evergreen
Sweet evergreen
You are all the love
There's ever been
You are all to me
And more sweet evergreen.
Here in the windchill years of our lives
We dwell in the shade of evergreen
Stirring the last of the slow burning embers
Counting our way through a year of Decembers.
Evergreen
Sweet evergreen
You are all the love
There's ever been
You are all to me
And more sweet evergreen
Sweet evergreen
You are all the love
There's ever been
You are all to me
And more sweet evergreen.
The Wishing Tree's song, "Evergreen" is a melancholic and nostalgic reflection upon a past full of naive innocence, passionate love, and painful losses. The first stanza highlights the contrast between the "long gone" days of youthful dreams and the harsh realities of later years. The phrase "naive in the glow of evergreen" suggests a sense of blissful ignorance and enchantment with the world, represented by the evergreen trees. However, this innocence is soon shown to be fragile and fleeting in the next line, with the reference to "the bruising of hearts, the losing of races."
The second stanza recalls the passionate intensity of youth, with the "devil may care" attitude and the reckless pursuit of pleasure. The phrase "we measured success in the stains on the back seat" implies a disregard for conventional measures of achievement in favor of living in the moment. However, this sense of abandon is tempered with a hint of vulnerability and intimacy, as expressed by "our tongues in your mouths, our hands on your heartbeat."
The third stanza shifts the focus to the present, as the singer reflects on the passing of time and how it has affected their life. The loss of innocence and passion has been replaced with a sense of resignation, as shown by the phrase "stirring the last of the slow burning embers." The evergreen trees, once a symbol of eternal youth and vitality, now merely provide shade and comfort in the face of mortality.
Overall, "Evergreen" is a poignant meditation on the fleeting nature of youth and the bittersweet memories that accompany it.
Line by Line Meaning
Long gone the days, of which dreams were made
We have moved past the days where we were hopeful and dreamt of what the future could bring.
Naive in the glow of evergreen
We were young and inexperienced, surrounded by the idyllic beauty of evergreen trees.
Innocent days, of fresh airs and graces
We had yet to experience the harsh realities of life, and instead enjoyed the simple pleasures of nature and beauty.
The bruising of hearts, the losing of races.
As we grew older and more experienced, we faced heartbreak and disappointment, often coming up short despite our best efforts.
Passionate days, remember them well
We look back fondly on the days where our emotions ran high and our passion for life was uncontainable.
The devil may care of evergreen
We lived in the moment, without concern for consequences, much like the wild spirit of the evergreen trees.
We measured success in the stains on the back seat
Our definition of success was often tied to reckless behavior and fleeting moments of pleasure.
Our tongues in your mouths, our hands on your heartbeat.
We were driven by the intoxicating feelings of lust and desire, exploring our own and others' bodies with abandon.
Evergreen
Sweet evergreen
You are all the love
There's ever been
You are all to me
And more sweet evergreen.
The evergreen trees represented a constant source of love and beauty throughout our lives, always inspiring and comforting us even in our darkest moments.
Gentle the breeze that blows through the trees
Caressing the leaves of evergreen
We recall the gentle breezes and calming presence of the evergreen trees, a soothing reminder of nature's wonder.
We married in haste, young lambs to the slaughter
We weep in the arms of a favourite daughter.
Our youthful haste led us to make unwise decisions, leading to heartbreak and regret that we now must bear witness to.
Here in the windchill years of our lives
We dwell in the shade of evergreen
Stirring the last of the slow burning embers
Counting our way through a year of Decembers.
As we grow older and face the inevitable effects of time, we find ourselves seeking refuge in the familiar, constant presence of the evergreen trees, looking back on our lives and taking stock of what remains.
Sweet evergreen
You are all the love
There's ever been
You are all to me
And more sweet evergreen.
In the end, the evergreen trees remain a symbol of enduring love and comfort, a reminder of the purity and beauty of nature.
Contributed by Joshua L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.