From Ziegfeld Follies of 1911
Words and music by Irving Berlin and Vincent Bryan (after a poem by George Pope Morris – 1837)
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- A great big tree grows near our house
It’s been there quite some time
This tree’s a slipp’ry elm tree
And very hard to climb
But when my wife starts after me
Up in that tree I roost
I go up like a healthy squirrel
And never need no boost
The other day a woodman came
To chop the refuge down
And carve it into kindling wood
To peddle ’round the town
I says to him, “I pray thee cease
Desist, refrain and stop
Lay down that razor, man
Chop not a single chop”
[chorus:]
Woodman, woodman, spare that tree
Touch not a single bough
For years it has protected me
And I’ll protect it now
Chop down an oak, a birch or pine
But not this slipp’ry elm of mine
It’s the only tree that my wife can’t climb
So spare that tree
- I said to him, “You see that hole
Up near that old treetop
I’ve got five dollars there
That’s yours, if you refrain to chop
No beast but me can climb that tree
‘Cause it’s too slippery
I can’t get up myself
Unless my wife is after me
So get my wife and I’ll call her
A very naughty word
And then you’ll see me give
An imitation of a bird
You may not know just where to go
When my wife gets around
But when she comes, remember this
If I’m not on the ground”
Second chorus, after 78rpm records by Bob Roberts (Victor 1911–16909-A) and Bert Williams (Columbia 1913–A1321)
Woodman, Woodman spare that tree,
Touch not a single bough
I’ll throw that five-spot down to thee,
Just like I promised thou.
But you’d better make your axe behave.
This slipp’ry elm you’ve got to save.
It’s the borderline twixt me and the grave.
Woodman, spare that tree!
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: