Lemon Tree (Fool's Garden song)

For other uses, see Lemon Tree.

"Lemon Tree" is a song by German band Fool's Garden from their third album, Dish of the Day (1995). The band's lead vocalist, Peter Freudenthaler, said that he wrote the song on a Sunday afternoon when he was waiting for his girlfriend who did not come.^[3] It was released as a single in November 1995 by Intercord and Encore Records and became an international hit the following year, remaining at number one for four weeks in Germany and also topping the charts of Austria, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. The band recorded a new version of the song for the 2009 compilation album High Times – The Best of Fools Garden.

"Lemon Tree"
Single by Fool's Garden
from the album Dish of the Day
Released	3 November 1995 (1995-11-03)
Genre	Britpop[1] bubblegum pop[2]
Length	3:11
Label	Intercord Encore
Songwriter(s)	Peter Freudenthaler Volker Hinkel
Producer(s)	Peter Freudenthaler Volker Hinkel Bernd Hasebrink Thomas Mangold Roland Röhl Ralf Wochele
Fool's Garden singles chronology
"Wild Days" (1994) "Lemon Tree" (1995) "Wild Days" (1996)
Music video
"Lemon Tree" on YouTube

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "This song by the eclectic German quintet has reached number 10 in the GSA Major Market Airplay chart and with good reason. The track is a cross between a catchy circus tune and late '60s bubblegum pop with trademark harmonies, which should appeal to the broadest of radio audiences."^[4]

Track listings

European CD single[5] "Lemon Tree" – 3:11 "Finally" – 4:29 European maxi-CD single and UK CD single[6][7] "Lemon Tree" – 3:11 (3:10 on UK release) "Finally" – 4:29 (4:30 on UK release) "Spirit '91" (dance-mix) – 4:11 (4:13 on UK release) US and Canadian CD single[8][9] "Lemon Tree" "Take Me"

Australian and New Zealand CD single[10] "Lemon Tree" – 3:11 "Take Me" – 4:20 "Spirit '91" – 4:11 South African maxi-CD single[11] "Lemon Dance" (single edit) – 3:52 "Lemon Tree" (club mix) – 6:16

Personnel

• All songs written by Peter Freudenthaler and Volker Hinkel
• Vocals: Peter Freudenthaler
• Bass: Thomas Mangold
• Drums: Ralf Wochele
• Guitar: Volker Hinkel
• Keyboards: Roland Röhl
• Breaking lamp sound: Jorick Bouw ^{[citation needed]}
• Artwork: Müller & Steeneck Stuttgart
• Bicchieri: Mattia Tugnoli

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996–1997) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 31 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 2 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[16] 10 Czech Republic (IFPI CR)[17] 7 Denmark (IFPI)[18] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[19] 4 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] 11 France (SNEP)[21] 3 Germany (GfK)[22] 1 Hungary (Mahasz)[23] 4 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[24] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[25] 1 Italy (Musica e dischi)[26] 5 Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[27] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 10 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 14 Norway (VG-lista)[31] 1 Poland (Music & Media)[32] 3 Scotland (OCC)[33] 25 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[36] 26 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[37] 13 Chart (2019) Peak position Slovenia (SloTop50)[38] 44 Chart (2024) Peak position Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[39] 59

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[40] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[41] 13 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[42] 18 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[43] 7 France (SNEP)[44] 8 Germany (Media Control)[45] 5 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[46] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[47] 49 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[48] 65 Sweden (Topplistan)[49] 7 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[50] 4

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[51]	Gold	25,000*
Belgium (BRMA)[52]	Gold	25,000*
France (SNEP)[53]	Gold	250,000*
France (SNEP)[54]	Gold	100,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[55]	Platinum	500,000^
Italy (FIMI)[56] sales since 2009	Platinum	70,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[57]	Platinum	10,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[58]	Platinum
Sweden (GLF)[59]	Gold	25,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[60]	Platinum	50,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Europe	3 November 1995	CD	Intercord Encore	[22]
United Kingdom	13 May 1996	CD cassette	Encore	[61]
United States	27 May 1997	Contemporary hit radio	Universal	[62]

Covers and parodies

Dustin the Turkey recorded a Christmas-parody called "Christmas Tree".^[63] Taiwanese singer Tarcy Su released covers of the song (in both Mandarin and Cantonese)^[64] as did Korean singer Park Hye Kyung. Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter Joanna Wang made a cover of the song^[65] in 2011. Korean singer and composer, Hongjoong of the group Ateez, released a cover of the song^[66] on 4 May 2022.

Alle Farben and Fool's Garden version

"Lemon Tree"
Single by Alle Farben and Fool's Garden
Released	8 January 2021 (2021-01-08)
Length	3:15
Songwriter(s)	Peter Freudenthaler Volker Hinkel
Producer(s)	Frans Zimmer Junkx

On 8 January 2021, Alle Farben with Fool's Garden released a cover of "Lemon Tree".^[67]

Personnel

From Tidal:^[68]

• Lyricist and composer: Peter Freudenthaler and Volker Hinkel
• Producer: Frans Zimmer and Junkx [de]
• Mastering Engineer: Dirk Duderstadt and Marco Duderstadt
• Mixing: Junkx

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Germany (GfK)[69]	92
Hungary (Dance Top 40)[70]	3
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[71]	24
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[72]	32

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)	Position
Hungary (Dance Top 40)[73]	11

Chart (2022)	Position
Hungary (Dance Top 40)[74]	43