Feed the Tree

"Feed the Tree"
"Feed the Tree"
	US CD maxi-single
Single by Belly
from the album Star
B-side	"Trust in Me", "Dream on Me", "Star"
Released	January 11, 1993
Studio	Sound Emporium (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:28
Label	Sire, Reprise
Songwriter	Tanya Donelly
Producers	Belly, Gil Norton
Belly singles chronology
Music video
	"Feed the Tree on YouTube

"Feed the Tree" is a song by American alternative rock band Belly, released as the band's first single from their debut album, Star, in 1993. It is the band's biggest hit, reaching number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. According to lead singer Tanya Donelly, the song is a metaphor about commitment and respect, with the tree being a place on a large farm where a family would be buried.^[2]

Reception

The song was ranked number 24 on VH1's "40 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 90s".^[3] It was also a popular radio hit in Australia, coming in at number 25 on the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown for 1993.^[4]

Pitchfork said the song, "takes advantage of Donelly's talent for punching holes in the wall with a killer chorus. Tom Gorman's serpentine riff coils around the verses while bassist Fred Abong and drummer Chris Gorman keep their rhythms flippy-floppy."^[5]

Track listings

All songs were written by Tanya Donelly except where noted.

US CD and cassette single^[6]^[7]

"Feed the Tree" (remix) – 3:42
"Star" (full band version) – 2:59

UK 7-inch and cassette single^[8]^[9]

"Feed the Tree"
"Dream on Me"

UK 12-inch and CD single^[10]^[11]

"Feed the Tree"
"Trust in Me" (Robert Sherman and Richard Sherman)
"Dream on Me"
"Star"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[12]	158
UK Singles (OCC)^[13]	32
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	95
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[15]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)	Position
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[16]	5

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	January 11, 1993	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD	4AD	^[17]
Australia	January 18, 1993	12-inch vinyl CD	4AD	^[18]

References

^ Star (US CD album booklet). Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1993. 9 45187-2.
^ Songfacts.com
^ "VH1's 40 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '90s". TopOneHitWonders. May 8, 2011. Archived from the original on November 15, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
^ "Triple J Hottest 100 1993". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
^ Alfred Soto (September 27, 2022). "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork.
^ Feed the Tree (US CD single disc notes). Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1993. 2-18570.
^ Feed the Tree (US cassette single sleeve). Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1993. 18570-4.
^ Feed the Tree (UK 7-inch single sleeve). 4AD Records. 1993. AD 3001.
^ Feed the Tree (UK cassette single sleeve). 4AD Records. 1993. AD C 3001.
^ Feed the Tree (UK 12-inch single sleeve). 4AD Records. 1993. BAD 3001.
^ Feed the Tree (UK CD single liner notes). 4AD Records. 1993. BAD 3001 CD.
^ "Bubbling Down Under Week commencing 22 February 1993". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. May 22, 1993. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
^ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. March 6, 1993. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
^ "The Year in Music: Top Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-39.
^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 9, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
^ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 18/01/93: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 154. January 17, 1993. p. 20.

[1] Star (US CD album booklet). Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1993. 9 45187-2.

[2] Songfacts.com

[3] "VH1's 40 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '90s". TopOneHitWonders. May 8, 2011. Archived from the original on November 15, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2018.

[4] "Triple J Hottest 100 1993". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved November 22, 2018.

[5] Alfred Soto (September 27, 2022). "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork.

[6] Feed the Tree (US CD single disc notes). Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1993. 2-18570.

[7] Feed the Tree (US cassette single sleeve). Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1993. 18570-4.

[8] Feed the Tree (UK 7-inch single sleeve). 4AD Records. 1993. AD 3001.

[9] Feed the Tree (UK cassette single sleeve). 4AD Records. 1993. AD C 3001.

[10] Feed the Tree (UK 12-inch single sleeve). 4AD Records. 1993. BAD 3001.

[11] Feed the Tree (UK CD single liner notes). 4AD Records. 1993. BAD 3001 CD.

[12] "Bubbling Down Under Week commencing 22 February 1993". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved February 28, 2025.

[sc_UK_-13] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2018.

[14] "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. May 22, 1993. Retrieved August 20, 2023.

[15] "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. March 6, 1993. Retrieved August 20, 2023.

[16] "The Year in Music: Top Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-39.

[17] "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 9, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved June 20, 2021.

[18] "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 18/01/93: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 154. January 17, 1993. p. 20.

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v t e Belly
Tanya Donelly Tom Gorman Chris Gorman Gail Greenwood Fred Abong
Studio albums	Star King Dove
Singles	"Feed the Tree"
Related articles	Throwing Muses The Breeders L7

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