Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree

by

Tony Orlando and Dawn

Album: Greatest Hits      Released: 1973

US Chart: 1     UK Chart: 1

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This was written by Irwin Levine and Larry Brown. It is based on the true story of a convict returning from jail.

Levine and Brown got the story from a 1971 article in The New York Post, and changed some of the details. It was really a white handkerchief around the tree, but they made it a yellow ribbon because it made for a better song.

A song of the same name was used in the 1949 John Wayne movie She Wore A Yellow Ribbon. This is probably where Levine and Brown got the idea for the yellow ribbon.

The yellow ribbon became a National symbol in 1980 when Americans put them on trees to remember the hostages being held in Iran. Ten years later, a group called Visual AIDS convinced people attending the Tony Awards to wear small red ribbons as a symbol of AIDS awareness. Soon, many causes produced ribbons with different colors to raise money and awareness. In 2004, the trend extended to rubber bracelets when cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong worked with Nike to promote yellow bracelets labeled "Livestrong" that raised money for cancer research.

Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson took the name "Dawn" from the daughter of their record company promotions man, Steve Wax. The song was a #1 hit in Australia in mid 1973, spending 26 weeks on the charts. (thanks, Graham - Windsor, Australia)

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Comments:

I sing to it whenever I hear it..
- Budoshi, Sandnessjøen, Norway

Chris from England makes it sound like John McCarthy got married to another woman as soon as he got off the plane from Beirut when in reality he and Jill Morrell were together for FOUR years after he was released before they mutually decided to split up. And it was another four years after they broke up before John married someone else.
- Miranda, Baltimore, MD

We Filipinos have an inspirational meaning for this song. This made an impact to our hearts during Marcos' regime, especially when Ninoy Aquino returned from prison, assasinated during his return from USA and during the Edsa people power 1. This song was also played thousand times during the funeral prosession of Ninoy's wife, President Cory Aquino.
- pat, quezon city, Philippines

When John McCarthy was held captive in Beirut his fiance Jill Morrell held a campaign and tied hundreds of yellow ribbons in his memory too pray for his release. When he was released he snubbed her and married someone else. I wonder if she still has a yellow ribbon and if she does whether she might like to strangle him with it!
- chris, preston, England

This song was definitely popular when the War on Terrorism and the Iraq war started, and I hung yellow ribbons all over my property (even on my Shopsmith power tool)because I have a friend whose son went to Iraq with the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a sergeant and a war hero several years ago. Way to go, Ben.
- Darrell, Eugene

And probably tomorrow morning too.
- jim, qinhuangdao, China

Every time the last line comes up, a 100 yellow ribbons round the old oak tree, I think, "Whoa, someone's getting some tonight."
- jim, qinhuangdao, China

This is really an urban legend. Pete Hamill wrote the New York Post article, based on a story told him by some college kids in Florida on spring break -- which was what Hamill was supposed to cover. The convict was supposedly on the bus that some of them rode down on. Interestingly, Hamill later wrote that he had correspondence from readers who said he had the details right but it happened soemwhere else. Everyone who wrote to Hamill claimed they were there and they knew the truth. So, I guess we will never know the full truth of the matter,or even if it ever really happened. That does not stop it from being a compelling song.
- Jerry, Brooklyn, NY

Actually the yellow ribbon in honor of soldiers off fighting goes back to the Civil War. Thus the Wayne movie. I always assumed this song was about a Vietnam war vet since it came out during the same time that the POW's were returning and yellow ribbons were being taken down as those they were put up to remember were coming gome.
- Ralph, Newton, MA

This song was also anthem for the returning Vietnam Vets.
- JOHN HUNT, CHICAGO, IL

my father was in jail when he got out this ssong just came out so when it is one tha radio i will sing a long with him
- kyle, hampton bays, NY

This is a very beautiful song, I always feel tears in my eyes at the end of the song, when he sees a hundred yellow ribbons round the old oak tree what means that the woman he loves is waiting for him and still loves him. A great love story with a happy end.
- Teresa, Mechelen, Belgium

I love Tony Orlando and Dawn, but this song doesn't seem their style. I like Candida better.
- AJ, Cleveland, GA

Amazing how one song can change our culture, even in a small way. At this moment there are "yellow ribbons" in many places, remembering our soldiers in Iraq.
- Clarke, Pittsburgh, PA

My grandmother tied a yellow ribbon on her car antennae to identify her car in crowded parking lots sometimes. Now that she died recently and the car was totaled,this song makes me cry
- Alex, New Orleans, LA

this is one hell of a great song! i can listen to it the whole day long...its a lovely feeling to know someone may be waiting to see you...it is captured in this song!!
- deepak, india, India

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