The lemon tree song

The iconic song "Lemon Tree" was originally written by Will Holt, though it was based off of the Brazilian folk song "Meu limao, meu limoeiro"  which was made into a hit in Brazil by Wilson Simonal. In 1962 it became an American hit when it was covered by the folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary. Here is a video:

The lyrics are as follows:

"When I was just a lad of ten, my father said to me

come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree

Don't put your faith in love, my boy, my father said to me

I fear you'll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree

CHORUS

(Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet

But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat) (2x)

END CHORUS

One day beneath the lemon tree my love and I did lie

A girl so sweet that when she smiled, the stars rose in the sky

We past that summer lost in love beneath the lemon tree

The music of her laughter hid my fathers word from me

CHORUS

One day she left without a word, She took away the sun

And in the dark she left behind I knew what she had done

She left me for another, It's a common tale but true

A sadder man but wiser, I sing these words to you

CHORUS 2X

The song went on to be covered by Bob Marley and the Wailers, Trini Lopez, Roger Whittaker, The Seekers, and many others in the years that followed. It was also later used in pledge commercials. 

The song's influence is probably also responsible for the naming of the 90's pop band "The Lemon Trees" and the 2008 film "Lemon Tree" by Eran Riklis. 

The song shares it's name with a seemingly unrelated 1996 Britpop single by Fools Garden. But, if you watch the video below, you might just feel a little of the classic song's influence....