Trees - The Garden Of Jane Delawney (1970)

Formed in 1968, this British folk (and sometimes folk-rock) group put together a total of two albums around the songwriting talents of Tobias “Bias” Boshell. (Boshell would later be noted for being the keyboardist of The Kiki Dee Band and writing Kiki Dee’s hit song “I’ve Got the Music In Me.”) From a distance, this band appeared to be a knock-off of Fairport Convention at the height of Fairport’s popularity, possibly trying to cash in on the newly emerging “electric folk” scene. And although that theory may carry some weight, to the band’s credit, it has also been stated that CBS Records, who signed the group, was never really committed to allowing ample rehearsal time before the group’s recording, as well as putting a lot of pressure on the band despite not offering them much compensation.

This song comes from the group’s first album, The Garden of Jane Delawney, released in 1970. The album featured a total of nine tracks, four of which were traditional folk songs. This song, written by Boshell, was given praise for sounding as if it were a traditional folk song written hundreds of years prior. Lasting four minutes and nineteen seconds, it is the shortest track on the album. It was covered by Françoise Hardy in 1971.



Trees - The Garden Of Jane Delawney (1970)

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Lyrics:

The poet's voice lingers on
His words hanging in the air
“The ground you walk upon”
“Might as well not be there”
Might as well not be there

I'll take you through my dreams
Out into the darkest morning
Past the blood-filled streams
Into the garden of Jane Delawney
Into her garden, now

Though the rose is there
Don't pluck it as you pass
Or the fire will consume your hair
And your eyes will turn to glass
Your eyes will turn to glass

In the willow's shade
Don't lie to hear it weep
Or its tears of gold and jade
Will drown you as you sleep
Will drown you now

Jane Delawney had her dreams
That she never did discover
For the flow that feeds the streams
Is the lifeblood of her lover
Is the lifeblood of her lover

And the purifying beams
Of the sun will shine here never
While the spirit of her dreams
In the garden lives forever
Lives forever, now