Environmental Songbook

Save Some Trees

Music and lyrics by Dave Orleans

©1982 Dave Orleans

Lyrics

If I were a tree (echo) In the middle of the woods(echo)

With the sun and the rain (echo) I'd feel real good (echo)

I'd make some shade (echo), To cool my friends (echo)

I'd grow buds and seeds and leaves on my branches

Let the birds and the squirrels make homes, and the chances are

Good that I'd be happy Right to the end (right to the end).

 

CHORUS:

Save some trees for me, mister, Save some trees for when we grow up

 

If I were a fish (echo), just swimming in a stream (echo),

I'd have a lot of fun (echo), if you know what I mean (echo),

Say, "Hi!" to a frog (echo), who's looking for a fly (echo),

But I'd hide in the weeds from that funny old muskrat

Stay away from the worms on hooks, 'cause I know that

I'd rather live here in the stream 'till the day I die! ('till the day I die)

 

CHORUS: "Streams"

 

If I were a cloud (echo), just floating in the sky (echo),

I'd have a nice time (echo), as I drift on by (echo),

I'd go to the sea (echo), to fill with rain (echo),

Then I'd rain on the city and all the people in it

And I'd clean all the dirt from the air in a minute.

The sky'd be blue when the sun came out again (came out again)

 

CHORUS: "Air"

 

If I were the sun (echo), making daytime bright (echo),

Lookin' down on the earth (echo), spinning day and night (echo)

Like a great big ball (echo), of blue and green (echo)

Where the land and the sea and the sky come together

The wind and the clouds swirl around making weather

It's the prettiest doggone planet that I've ever seen! (that I've ever seen)

 

CHORUS: "World"

 

(Optional shore verse)

If I were a beach (echo), / By the beautiful sea (echo)

I'd love to feel the waves (echo) / Washing over me (echo)

I'd let all the kids (echo) / Make castles in the sand (echo)

I'd build my own castles with dune grass upon 'em

They'll keep back storms if nobody steps on 'em

Beach Cleanups tickle, when you pick up litter by hand (litter by hand)

 

CHORUS: "Shore"

 

(Optional Pine Barrens verse, NJ)

If I were a fern (echo) / Of the curly-grass kind (echo)

I'd have a nice home (echo) / That I'd call mine (echo)

Where the bog turtle swims (echo) / And the tree frog sings (echo)

We'd live in the swamp with the cedars above us

And we'd be happy if enough of you love us

To protect our home so that we don't become extinct (don't become extinct)

 

CHORUS: "Pines"

Performance Idea: have children echo along on verses and join the chorus.

Lesson Ideas: discuss children’s concerns for the future of their environment. Research and discuss what makes up each of the communities in the song (i.e. forests, streams, seashores, pine barrens). Follow up on the water cycle verse. Were will the pollution go when the rain washes it out of the sky?

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