Written by: Fred Fisher, Doris Fisher
Recorded: 9 February; 5 March 1970
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Phil McDonald, Geoff Emerick
Released: 27 March 1970 (UK), 24 April 1970 (US)
Available on:
Sentimental Journey
Personnel
Ringo Starr: vocals
The George Martin Orchestra: instrumentation
Unknown: guitar, bass guitar, drums
‘Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell The Trees)’ is the third song on Sentimental Journey, Ringo Starr’s debut solo album.
The song was written by Fred Fisher and his daughter Doris, and was first recorded in 1940 by Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra, and in the same year by The Ink Spots, and by Johnny Hodges with Duke Ellington and his orchestra.
In the studio
Starr recorded a demo of ‘Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell The Trees)’ on 9 February 1970. Several takes were recorded, and an edit of takes three and five was taken away by George Martin and given to arranger Ron Goodwin.
The album version was recorded at Morgan Studios in London on 5 March 1970, with Martin producing and Goodwin conducting.
The recording session began at 10am, and saw the completion of two songs: ‘Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell The Trees)’, followed by ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’. Starr overdubbed his vocals once the backing tracks for both songs were complete.
It’s one of my favourite records of all time. They do it so great and it’s such a lovely track. Ron Goodwin did it and he did it really incredible, you know? And it’s the first time he arranged for a solo artist in five years because he is doing film music all the time now. And he really did it so well, and it’s got a lot of mood to it, because he’s used to writing for films lately. He has done a lot of atmosphere with it.
Radio Luxembourg, 11 April 1970
Lyrics
Why do you whisper, green grass?
Why tell the trees what ain’t so?
Whispering grass, the trees don’t have to know, no, no
Why tell them all your secrets?
Who kissed there long ago?
Whispering grass, the trees don’t need to know
Don’t you tell it to the breeze
’Cause they will tell the birds and bees
And everyone will know
Because you told the blabbering trees
Yes, you told them once before
It’s no secret anymore
Why tell them all the old things?
They’re buried under the snow
Whispering grass, don’t tell the trees
’Cause the trees don’t need to know
Why tell them all the old things?
They’re buried under the snow
Whispering grass, don’t tell the trees
’Cause the trees don’t need to know
