Meaning of “Old Pine” by Ben Howard

According to Songfacts, the title of this song is derived from a scary incident Ben Howard had at the age of 16 where he was “nearly… killed by a falling pine tree”. But that brush with death is not actually the subject matter of this song but rather just its inspiration. What “Old Pine” is actually about is the “surf trip” Ben was engaged in when the aforementioned event occurred, as in the profound effect this excursion had on him and his companions.

And in that regard, we can conclude that this was a very-edifying time of his life, as he and his companions experienced considerable growth. And the main characteristic of this trip, besides the singer enjoying the company of and bonding with his friends, was its natural setting. In other words, as alluded to earlier they were on a beach. And he references “cold sand in sleeping bags”, meaning that they were camping out there. And “the stars in the woods” and other natural phenomena they witnessed while spending time in this environment produced an overall appreciation of nature and of life.

Indeed when “the old pine” is referenced in the chorus as falling, it leads to Ben stating that he and his homeys “sang” and “just… bless(ed) the morning”. And now that we know this tree almost took his life, we have a better understanding of the sentiment he is putting forth. And that is he almost died, and after surviving a near-death experience, he and his companions, influenced by the natural environment they were in as well as an overall-positive disposition, experienced a greater appreciation for life via his survival. But at the end of the day, considering that most listeners may not even know the titular “old pine” almost killed the singer, this song actually reads more like it is advocating outdoor experiences as a form of emotional rejuvenation.

Release Date of Ben Howard’s “Old Pine”

This song originally came out as part of Ben Howard’s “Old Pine” EP, which was issued by Communion Music on 2 April 2011.

Later, the music-video version of the track was also used on Ben Howard’s debut album. That album is titled Every Kingdom. 

Writer(s) and Producer(s) of “Old Pine” 

Ben Howard wrote this song, with record producer Chris Bond serving as the song’s only producer.

Did Howard drop this track as a single?

 Yes, he did. It was actually released as the fifth single from Every Kingdom by Island Records on 20 July 2012.