Hanging Tree – English Lyrics
Lyrics & Translation
[English]
Coming to the tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
They strung up a man
They say who murdered three
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out
For his love to flee
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
...
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where I told you to run
So we'd both be free
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Wear a necklace of hope
Side by side with me
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where I told you to run
So we'd both be free
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
They strung up a man
They say who murdered three
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out
For his love to flee
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
...
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
|
hanging /ˈhæŋɪŋ/ B2 |
|
|
tree /triː/ A1 |
|
|
man /mæn/ A1 |
|
|
dead /ded/ A2 |
|
|
love /lʌv/ A2 |
|
|
flee /fliː/ B2 |
|
|
stranger /ˈstreɪndʒər/ B2 |
|
|
met /mɛt/ A2 |
|
|
midnight /ˈmɪdnaɪt/ B1 |
|
|
necklace /ˈnɛk.ləs/ B1 |
|
|
hope /hoʊp/ B2 |
|
Key Grammar Structures
-
Are you, are you
➔ Repetition for emphasis
➔ "Are you" is used here repeatedly to emphasize the question or invitation.
-
They strung up a man
➔ Past simple active voice
➔ "Strung up" is the past tense of "to string up," indicating an action completed in the past.
-
No stranger would it be
➔ Negative modal + inversion (conditional)
➔ The phrase implies a condition or assumption that would be unlikely or impossible, using inversion of the auxiliary and the subject.
-
Wear a necklace of hope
➔ Imperative mood (suggestive command)
➔ "Wear" is in the imperative form suggesting a command or strong recommendation.
-
So we'd both be free
➔ Subjunctive mood / Conditional clause
➔ The phrase expresses an unreal or hypothetical situation, using a conditional clause with "would".
-
They say who murdered three
➔ Reported speech / Indirect speech
➔ "They say" introduces reported speech, indicating someone else's words or beliefs.
