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The Olive Tree Lyrics by Alfred Drake

Kismet: A Musical Arabian Night (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

1953

[THE POET]
A fool sat beneath an olive tree
And a wondrous thought had he
So he rose and he told it to the sky
And where was I?
Behind the tree
I overheard his reverie
"Why be content with an olive
When you could have the tree
Why be content to be nothing
When there's nothing you couldn't be
Why be contented with one olive tree
When you could have a whole olive grove
Why be content with a grovе
When you could have the world?"
Thе fool stood beneath the olive tree
"What a wondrous thought," said he
"But alas, it is very, very deep!"
And then he yawned
And went to sleep
Because you see, he was a fool!
"Why be content with an olive
When you could have the tree"
That which has lulled you to sleep, fool
Has awakened me!
Why should I sigh that my lot is my lot
That I can't make anything more
When this is a lie
An excuse for a fool to snore!
I walked from behind the olive tree
With a wondrous change in me
For I walked, with my eye upon a star
If you have heard, and do not heed
There is a word for what you are
And oh, my friend
The word is "fool!"
Credits
Alfred Drake

Alfred Drake

About “The Olive Tree” by Alfred Drake

Read the complete lyrics to "The Olive Tree" by Alfred Drake from the album "Kismet: A Musical Arabian Night (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1953. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Broadway, Musicals, Pop.

"The Olive Tree" is performed by Alfred Drake. from the album "Kismet: A Musical Arabian Night (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1953 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Olive Tree", explore more songs by Alfred Drake using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Olive Tree" is credited to Alfred Drake. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Olive Tree" appears on "Kismet: A Musical Arabian Night (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1953.

Visit the Alfred Drake artist page at /artist/alfred-drake for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.