669. Woodman, Spare That Tree

669 Woodman, Spare That Tree
'Woodman, Spare That Tree.' Sung by C. K. Tillett, Roanoke Island, December 29, 1922. This song originally was composed by Henry Russell, the  words were credited to Geo. P. Morris. Our text conforms completely to that  of this author, but our tune is entirely different. For additional versions cf.  RaW 23-4 and SoA 38-9. Dr. White says : "Common in the 19th-century song-
books and readers." Cf. remarks in EFSSC no.

Wood - man, spare the tree ! —
Touch not a sin - gle bough
In youth it shel - tered me,
And I'll pro - tect- it now. —

Scale: Mode III. Tonal Center: f. Structure: abab (2,2,2,2) = aa (4,4).  Every phrase cadences on I. The tonal center is the lowest tone.