THE OAK & THE WILLOW

ch    the Oak & the Willow, the Oak & the Willow, 
     the Oak & the Willlow both make England strong


Apple trees bear us the sweetest of fruits
Some give gold cider which my taste well suites
The pear is as pretty in spring time and very 
juicy those pears wot we brew in to Perry - but the 

The nuts of the Ha zel are nicest when new 
So are green walnuts I’ve pickled a few
Sweet the roast chestnut & much to me thought 
the Almond is also yet not worth the effort - but the 

the Elder has a white flower & juicy black berry 
which brews wine like the Damson to send us all merry hehe  
Plum is sweet to eat & gives good jam 
Wot we sell at market in old Nottingham - yes the

Elm is for boat planks when wet it do swell 
Ash strong axe handles to shape those planks well
It’s oars have that give our boats for to row 
& pro- vides a weapon the mighty long bow - yes the

Oak frames is finest for our ships & houses 
To hold all them  fighting men oft times called Spouses 
It’s made into barrels called firkin & tun  
From which flows sweet Cider & strong ale do run - yes the

http://cresby.com ©   Cresby 14th April 1985

This song was the culmination of a campaign to write a song that  would sound traditional 
enough to  prompt people to ask about its authenticity.  Cresby was well pleased with the 
result none-the-less.   As we are not overstocked with tree  songs it seemed like a laudable 
idea.   The actual creative process was not a text book case, indeed, attempting to write a 
song before the current one was finished one might be circumspect.   But....to do it seated at 
a moderate size table accompanied by a television blaring sub-juvenile pop-music to 3 small 
kids, with their mum & nanny attempting hopelessly to arbitrate loud sibling rivalry seems so 
unlikely it would be pronounced impossible if it had not been done.

Thank-yous to Amy, Ben, Peter, Angela, Nanny Annie, Spice the cat & Keith Chegwin.