The Sound of Trees
In Robert Frost's poem The Sound of Trees, he wrote,
Why do we wish to bear
Forever the noise of these
More than another noise
The sounds of trees or forests have been the subject of many poems, referenced as everything from 'silence' to a 'symphony of quiet whispers.' Poet and novelist, Hermann Hesse (Steppenwolf, Siddhartha) wrote beautifully about the sonic wisdom of trees in his Wandering: Notes and Sketches from the 1920s. He wrote, "Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth."
More locally, Bloomington's own international treasure-of-a-poet, Ross Gay, wrote, "Our capacity and willingness to learn the language of trees, to study the language of trees… might incline us to be less brutal, less extractive. It might incline us to share, to collaborate. It might incline us to give shelter and make room. The language of trees might incline us to patience. To love. It might incline us to gratitude."
Team Canopy is often curious about the way artists interact with and interpret the trees around them in their work. This includes poets and essayists. While some have debated whether musicians fall into the same standing as poets, remember that Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition".
This blog will take you on an audio journey that we hope you find interesting. Below is a sampling of songs from the last several decades which channel the subject of trees. The songs are in no particular chronological or genre order, other than starting with two Indiana bands who's very names pay homage to the trees they love.
Of course, tastes in music, like any artform, are subjective. Surely not everything here will resonate with you. With that said, here we go. Enjoy!
Bird by Forestlike
Sea Pines by Sleeping Trees
Feed the Tree by Belly
Side with the Seeds by Wilco
Lemon Tree by Peter, Paul and Mary
Lime Tree Arbour by Nick Cave
A Forest by The Cure
Willow by Taylor Swift
Livin' in the Woods in a Tree by Blaze Foley
Woods by Bon Iver
Norwegian Wood by The Beatles
Tree by the River by Iron & Wine
July Tree by Nina Simone
Ragged Wood by Fleet Foxes
Autumn Leaves by Bob Dylan
Last Leaf by Tom Waits
Autumn Almanac by The Kinks
Talkin to the Trees by Neil Young
Trees by Jesse Welles
Flowering by Jeff Tweedy
Shadows and Tall Trees by U2
The Dreaming Tree by Dave Matthews Band
The Trees by Rush
In My Tree by Pearl Jam
Sycamore by Ed Sheeran
A Day in the Life of a Tree by The Beach Boys
Tree Song by Carl Swan
Trees We'll Never See by Amy Grant
The Pine Tree by Johnny/June Carter Cash
Trees by Twenty-One Pilots
The Woman Who Planted Trees by Emily Barker
The Trees Clap Their Hands by Sufjan Stevens
Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron
If we missed your favorite song about trees, forests or just being out in the wild, send us a note. We love being introduced to new things. See you in the woods!
CanopyBloomington
CanopyBloomington is a social impact organization created to maximize Bloomington's tree canopy and sustainably manage Bloomington's urban forest for trees' many environmental, health, economic, and social benefits, with a focus on tree equity and community engagement. The staff, board and volunteers work year-round to plant and care for trees, improve air and water quality, and make neighborhoods healthier and more beautiful. But we can’t do it alone.
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