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The Trees Lyrics

Performed by Rush
Review The Song (115)

There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.

The trouble with the maples,
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made.
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the forest,
And the creatures all have fled,
As the maples scream "Oppression!"
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
"The oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light."
Now there's no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw.

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Lennin vs Peart | Reviewer: Anonymous | 2/24/12

Imagine no possessions. vs and the trees were all made equal by hatchet axe and saw. By the way, try getting maple syrup out of an oak. I like the omnicient narrative of the story. An observer who sees all. It doesn't take sides in the struggle, but it does report the results of the conflict. Whether or not Mr Peart got the idea from a cartoon or not i do not know. Whether or not is was mr pearts vision or the cartoonist, this song will be known (if there's anyone left to remember) as a prophecy when it comes to fruition. The friction of the day.

Class Struggle | Reviewer: Karl | 11/3/11

Why are capitalists considered hard working and labors considered lazy? Most capitalists couldn't handle the work of the laborer. Maybe also the other way around, but still it is not about working hard, but owning rights to resources and abusing privilege. The "working harder gets more rewards story" is propaganda and rhetoric which those on the top of society are happy to propagate (even though they know it a fallacy) because it keeps you in your place. Their program is to crush all competition, not reward it, and keep control of all resources.

Britain/Canada | Reviewer: Duggan | 11/6/11

Well, personally, I'd always seen it as Canada's struggle for rights against Britain, With Canada being the Maples and Britain being the Oaks. The British went around colonising everything, and eventually Canada wanted to be free to do it's own thing.
Still, the other interpretations also make sense, and I only know what Ive been told by my dad :P

Trees | Reviewer: i.i.i | 10/22/11

There really is only one plausible interpretation, and it is very general. The message: political power favors the voice that shouts the loudest, regardless of how abhorrent the demands of that voice are.

disjointed song | Reviewer: stinger | 8/10/11

Like many Rush songs, its a conglomeration of separate musical sections that do not necessarily flow well from one to the other.

From a compositional standpoint, this song could have been four other songs each sprouted from its unrelated and random musical themes.

And lets not get started on the obvious mention of Neil Peart's pretentious lyrics that are usually a misfire in the direction of a social statement. Rather weak attempt at word-art.

But hey, if you dig Rush (and as performers/instrumentalists I actually do dig them), then enjoy!


Oaks...Maples.. and evolution | Reviewer: Pilo | 6/16/11

This song always seems to remind...read; support people's political philosophies; yet humans physical features, like that of trees are honed by millions of years of selective pressures that may benefit them for this moment in time...to suggest that you have a "right" to a resource simply because you were born to be tall is great if you are tall, but it is through through no hard work of your own. Ironically, tall people enjoy an advantage in our society at this particular moment in time...is that hard work that got them this advantage?

Signed; way taller than average 5'8" person will advantages.


Red and Blue | Reviewer: Anonymous | 6/10/11

It always reminds me of the struggle between the republican and democratic parties. The Oaks are the elephants and the Maples are the donkeys. The oaks have earned their height through hard work and determination, and shall reap the rewards for generations to come. Oak trees live longer, and therefore grow longer and thus taller. The Maples are trying to speak out agianst something in place of good old fashion hard work and determination. They are lazy but still want everybody to pity them and pay for theirr free lunch. In the end, all will die, but the Oaks have left a legacy for generations to come, and the Maples (who spend more time campaigning than acting) will just become another statistic. They are worthless and the system will forget them.

The trees | Reviewer: Dan | 4/19/11

Obviously this is one of those "Stairway to heaven" type songs, everyone is free to their own interpretation of it. I personally just see The oaks and maples as America and Canada, and in the end they're just as bad as each other for being power hungry, Rush are Canadian, right? It just makes sense to me. But anyhow, they're genius lyrics by a genius band.

democracy is a suggestion box for slaves | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/1/11

to get some solid philosphical viewpoints based on logic, check out free videos, aufio/ pdf books and podcasts at freedomain radio (dot) calm.

some of the work there provides a blueprint for a free,anti- violent society where making money doesn't harm people the way it does in the cutrrent statist paradigm.

AWESOME AND TIMELESS | Reviewer: John | 2/28/11

I don't pretend to know the original intent of these lyrics. They are awesome and timeless. You can look to any time and find a place to ably these lyrics. The fact that this song can be interpreted in many ways and have different meaning to listeners is why it is so cool.

Well the funny truth... | Reviewer: TheyCallMeTim... | 12/14/10

Well, upon reading up on these lyrics I found the truth... These lyrics are not symbolic whatsoever. Neil Peart said he wrote the song after he read a cartoon with trees arguing. He thought it was funny and proceeded to write "The Trees." This song has no symbolic meaning. But the beauty in that is that this can be interpreted into anything anyone likes. So I can safely say everyone is right!

The Infinite Tension | Reviewer: Jazgar | 11/17/10

On one end you have capitalism. It's an efficient wealth creator, but in its unregulated form what it does best is concentrate wealth in the hands of few.

On the other you have democracy. The masses don't have much patience for suffering and will Nationalize resources if not adequately redistributed.

It's a tension. The plutocrats(Oaks) try to suppress democracy, the working class(Maples) strive for more equitable distribution of wealth($unlight). Too much of either is dangerous.

Plutocrats, however, are warned to ignore people's suffering at their own peril.

Ayn Rand | Reviewer: Anonymous | 8/27/10

I heard that Rush followed Randian Objectivism and this song is a poke in the eye to all union supporters. The USSR was one big union for example. I believe the term " noble" is used quite facetiously.

All are not created equal | Reviewer: Dudley Morris | 7/13/10

The song makes me think of the Kurt Vonnegut short story "Harrison Bergeron", which presents a world where absolutely social equality is enforced by crippling those with special abilities so they are at the same level as the lowest common denominator. It's essentially a clever retelling of the "tall poppy syndrome", where people want to cut people with more money, talent, better looks, or whatever, down to size. I'm not sure if at the end the maples have arranged to have the oaks literally cut down to size, or if the maples' agitations have led to the whole forest being clear cut, but either way it's a clever jibe at those who nurse resentments and want to bring down those above them in some way.

Hatchet, axe and saw | Reviewer: Farzone | 6/11/10

Interesting the variances and similarities on everones take of these lyrics. To me "The trees are now kept equal, by hatchet, axe and saw" isn't about the trees being of equal height. But in the destruction of all the trees. Clear cut if you will. To paraphrase a saying I once heard. "There is nothing more unequal than trying to treat everyone the same". In otherwords, realize the differences and don't hate or be envious because of them.


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