Malvina Reynolds
Lyric guide

The Falling of the Tree

Read The Falling of the Tree lyrics by Malvina Reynolds on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

Malvina Reynolds visibility1 visits
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot

The page facts to cite before the commentary

Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.

Page type: lyric reference Artist: Malvina Reynolds Canonical path: /malvina-reynolds/the-falling-of-the-tree Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

The Falling of the Tree

The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.

He thought he owned the tree because he bought it.

But what does money have to do with trees?

She said the tree was hers because she loved it.

She didn't want to own it only let it be.

He thought he owned the land because he bought it.

But what does money have to do with land?

Older than he by many million years,

And here after the generations die.

He cut the tree down and the lady cried.

She called him pig, and wished she had a gun.

In court, her lawyer softly asked for pardon,

That she had been, he said emotional.

She cried and cursed for murder of a tree.

He thought he owned the tree because he bought it,

And like a feudal lord who had the right

To kill his wife if she got in his road,

Since it was his, he had the right to kill it.

The lovely tree, older and wiser,

Living in beauty, dying in awful silence,

Cut into nothing, while a woman cried.

Quick answers

What this page can answer fast

Who performs "The Falling of the Tree"?

Malvina Reynolds performs "The Falling of the Tree", and this lyric page sits inside the Malvina Reynolds catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "The Falling of the Tree"?

Yes. The related section below points to I've Got a Song and A Short History of Warfare with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Malvina Reynolds?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Malvina Reynolds's lyric pages.

Song Room

Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song

Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.

Open Song Room
0 followers Selected insights only surface after moderation
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Add a short interpretation or memory

A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.

Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.

No listener comments on The Falling of the Tree yet.