在满载乘客的巴士上，一个男人心事重重，他刚刚结束三年刑期，从监狱释放出来。他的心里除了重获自由的喜悦，更多的是忐忑和不安。原来在狱中时他曾给妻子写过一封信，信中他告诉妻子：他即将重获自由，如果她还爱着他、愿意原谅他，就在家门口的老橡树上挂一条黄丝带；如果他看不到黄丝带，他会尊重妻子的选择，不会去打扰她。眼看巴士就要驶到男人的家门口，他却不敢往窗外望，他害怕看不到那条心中期待的黄丝带。直到整车的乘客都欢呼起来，男人才鼓起勇气向窗外看去，眼前的景象令他惊呆了：他看到在那棵老橡树上几乎挂满了黄丝带！
这正是歌曲Tie a Yellow RibbonRound the Ole Oak Tree所描述的情景。这首歌创作于1973年，从一个刑满释放的男人的视角，细腻地刻画了其在回家路上的心理状态。打动人心的歌词伴着舒缓流畅的曲调，不时给听众带来丝丝暖意。实际上，这首歌的创作灵感来自于一则名为《回家》(Going Home)的故事，这则故事被刊载在1971年的《纽约邮报》(The New York Post)上。不过，在创作时，歌曲的创作者修改了原故事中的一些细节，并从音乐的角度考虑，将原来故事里的“手帕”改成了“丝带”。这首歌由美国乐队组合Tony Orlando & Dawn演唱，一经发行，便迅速成为大热单曲，在美国和英国的音乐榜单上蝉联冠军，并成为当年的销量冠军。歌曲中令人印象深刻的“黄丝带”后来也成了一种具有普遍象征意义的标志，用来象征自由、寄托爱意。
在歌曲中，虽然重获自由的男人曾经犯下过错误，但是他的妻子依旧愿意接纳他，为他敞开回家的大门。老橡树上的黄丝带随风飘荡，看到黄丝带的那一刻，男人才真正呼吸到了自由的气息，心里的沉重包袱也就随之卸下。爱就像一把钥匙，能打开心灵的枷锁，让迷途的人看到光亮，帮他们找到回家的路。
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole1) Oak Tree
I’m coming home. I’ve done my time2).
Now I’ve got to know what is and isn’t mine.
If you received my letter telling you I’d soon be free,
Then you’ll know just what to do if you still want me,
If you still want me,
Oh, tie a yellow ribbon around the ole oak tree.
It’s been three long years.
Do you still want me? (Still want me?)
If I don’t see a ribbon round the ole oak tree,
I’ll stay on the bus,
Forget about us,
Put the blame on me3),
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree.
Bus driver, please look for me,
’Cause I couldn’t bear to see what I might see.
I’m really still in prison, and my love, she holds thekey.
A simple yellow ribbon’s what I need to set me free.
I wrote and told her please,
Oh, tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree.
It’s been three long years.
Do you still want me? (Still want me?)
If I don’t see a ribbon round the ole oak tree,
I’ll stay on the bus,
Forget about us,
Put the blame on me,
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree.
Now the whole damn bus is cheering,
And I can’t believe I see,
A hundred yellow ribbons round the ole oak tree.
I’m coming home, mm-hmm.
(Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree.)
(Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree.)
(Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree.)
(Tie a ribbon round the ole oak tree.)
(Tie a ribbon around the ole oak tree.)
(Tie a ribbon around the ole oak tree.)
1. ole：即old
2. do one’s time：坐牢，服刑
3. put the blame on sb.：归咎于某人
