Family Tree

Story Behind The Song

From the cd "Family Tree." Artist: Tom Chapin

Song Description

Note: publishing and master are controlled 100% by the authors. There is a wide variety of children's songs of this general humorous vein in our catalog. All instruments are played live.

Song Length 3:11 Genre Folk - Traditional, Folk - Contemporary
Tempo Medium Fast (131 - 150) Lead Vocal Male Vocal
Mood Exultant Subject You, Yours, Pride
Similar Artists Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan Language English
Era 2000 and later

Lyrics

Before the days of jello
Lived a prehistoric fellow
Who loved a maid and courted her beneath a bamboo tree.
And they had lots of children
And their children all had children
And they kept on having children until one of them had me.

We're a family and we're a tree.
Our roots go deep down in history.
From my great great granddaddy reaching up to me,
We're a green and growing family tree.

My grandpa came from Russia,
My grandma came from Prussia.
They met in Nova Scotia,
Had my dad in Tennessee.
Then they moved to Yokohama,
Where Daddy mey my Mama.
Her dad's from Alabama
And her mom's part Cherokee.

Cho.

Now one fine day I may go
To Tierra del Fuego.
Perhaps I'll meet my wife there
And we'll move to Timbuktoo.
And our kid will be bilingual
And though she may stay single,
She could of course comingle
With the King of Kathmandu.

Cho.

The folks in Madagascar
Aren't the same as in Alaska.
They got different foods, different moods
And different colored skin.
You may have a different name
But underneath we're much the same.
You're probably my cousin
And the whole world is our kin.

Cho.

Lyrics John Forster & Tom Chapin Music John Forster & Tom Chapin
Producer John Forster & Tom Chapin Publisher controlled by the authors
Performance Tom Chapin

Other Songs By John Forster

Song
Actions
Don't Make Me Dance
Unique - Children
Plays: 153
Boogie Woogie Chase
Unique - Children
Plays: 375
This Pretty Planet
Folk - Traditional
Plays: 526
I Got the Blues, Greens and Reds
Unique - Children
Plays: 105
The Backwards Birthday Party
Unique - Children
Plays: 227
Vitamin Si
Unique - Children
Plays: 165
Good Garbage
Unique - Children
Plays: 727
Crazy Good Day
Pop - Alternative
Plays: 79
Entering Marion
Unique - Comedy
Plays: 468
Helium
Unique - Comedy
Plays: 788
View All Songs
Clean Clean

Clean Clean

Artist Name
00:00 / 00:00