"The Hanging Tree"
Single by James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence
from the album The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
B-side"The Mockingjay"
ReleasedDecember 9, 2014 (2014-12-09)
GenreFolk
Length3:38
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Hunger Games singles chronology
"Yellow Flicker Beat"
(2014)		 "The Hanging Tree"
(2014)		 "Deep in the Meadow (Baauer Remix)"
(2015)
Audio video
"The Hanging Tree" on YouTube

"The Hanging Tree" is a song by American composer James Newton Howard featuring vocals from American actress Jennifer Lawrence. It was written by Suzanne Collins and composed by Howard, Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz from the band the Lumineers. The song was released by Republic Records on December 9, 2014, as the second single from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014). It was first included in the film's score album but was later added to the digital extended edition of the film's soundtrack. "The Hanging Tree" is a folk ballad that features orchestral strings and a choir.

"The Hanging Tree" received mostly positive reviews from music critics with some praising Lawrence's vocals, its elements of Appalachian music, and its effectiveness as a murder ballad. Commercially, the song garnered success on charts internationally, peaking atop record charts in several markets, including Austria, Hungary, and Germany. It debuted and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 20 in the United Kingdom's Official Chart Company. "The Hanging Tree" was eventually certified platinum in Canada and Germany as well as double platinum in the United States. To promote the song, a remix by producer Michael Gazzo was released.

Background and release

"The Hanging Tree" was composed by members of the indie folk band the Lumineers (pictured).[1]

"The Hanging Tree" was written by Suzanne Collins and originally appeared in her novel Mockingjay (2010); Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz from American indie folk band the Lumineers composed the track while production was handled by James Newton Howard.[1]

Schultz revealed that director Francis Lawrence instructed him to create a melody that could be "hummed or sung by one person" or "by a thousand people"; he also informed Schultz not to make the song "overly complicated".[2] To Schultz, the song felt like an innocent nursery rhyme despite its dark undertones. Schultz and Fraites then submitted a "couple melodies in about a day and a half or two days" during the month of September 2013.[2] Lawrence later contacted both Schultz and Fraites via text message that the melody was chosen for the film, saying, "It worked out great in the movie. We just shot the scene. [Jennifer] was really nervous but it went great."[2]

The lead protagonist Katniss Everdeen performs the song in the film, which is also heard over the closing credits. Jennifer Lawrence revealed on Late Night with David Letterman that she was anxious about singing the song in the film, citing her fear of "singing in front of other people" as her reason; she also disclosed that she cried on set when filming the scene.[3] Francis confessed to Vulture that Jennifer Lawrence suggested New Zealand singer Lorde instead provide vocals for the track that she could lip sync to on film; Francis rejected this idea.[3][4] In preparation, Francis sent Jennifer Lawrence to a vocal coach, in an effort to provide the actress with confidence;[5] she also practiced singing "all day" for the scene.[4]

"The Hanging Tree" was released as part of the film's score soundtrack on 24 November 2014;[6] it is accompanied with a B-side titled "The Mockingjay".[7] The track does not appear on the original release of the film's soundtrack. However, due to the success of "The Hanging Tree", it was later added to the digital extended edition of the soundtrack as the 15th track.[6] On 9 December 2014, "The Hanging Tree" was released as the second single from the soundtrack.[8] Michael Gazzo released a remix of the song—titled "The Hanging Tree" (Rebel Remix)—on 15 December 2014.[9] In an interview with Yahoo! Music, Gazzo commented that despite the track's dark tonality, he envisioned the song "uplifting an entire group of people to rise up. To unite."[10]

Composition and use in books

A black and white close-up picture of Billie Holiday singing into a microphone.
A black and white picture of the Frederick Douglass
Music critics compared "The Hanging Tree" to "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday (pictured left) (top for mobile phones) and the writings of Frederick Douglass (pictured right) (bottom for mobile phones).

"The Hanging Tree" is composed in the key of A minor with a "moderately, somewhat freely" tempo of 88 beats per minute. Lawrence's vocals span a range of E3 to A5 and its chord progression follows a basic sequence of A5–Am–Asus–F/A.[11] It is a folk ballad,[12][13] accompanied with orchestral strings and a choir.[5][14] Chris Payne of The Hollywood Reporter called it a "minimal folk sing-a-long".[15]

WBUR noted that the song's themes represent the tropes of Appalachian music, which commonly used murder themes in their lyrics. "The Hanging Tree" received comparisons to other songs such as "Tom Dooley",[16] Billie Holiday's 1939 ballad "Strange Fruit" (which also includes references to hanging and trees),[12] and the civil rights protest song "We Shall Overcome"[12] as well as a passage from Frederick Douglass' memoir My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) about African-American spirituals.[12] In the film, Lawrence performs the song a cappella.[17]

In the novel's context, it is a song that Katniss learned from her father, and is used as a battlecry.[18][19] Katniss's mother prohibited the use of the song in her home after hearing Katniss and her sister Primrose chant the song while making necklaces.[5] Peeta Mellark, Katniss's love interest, associates "The Hanging Tree" with her father; Peeta heard her father sing the song once when he traded goods at Peeta's parents' bakery.[20]

According to Haymitch Abernathy, the song was the first memory Peeta associated with Katniss that did not trigger a "mental breakdown" after the Capitol propagandized him.[20] After realizing this, Katniss uses "The Hanging Tree" as a remedy for Peeta's "Capitol-implanted hatred". She reminds herself of the song once more after Peeta tells her to kill him, in an effort to prevent himself from harming members of their rescue team due to how the Capitol "reprogrammed" him.[20] In the adaption, however, Plutarch Heavensbee uses the film of Katniss singing as anti-Capitol propaganda and changes the lyrics from "necklace of rope" to "necklace of hope" to reduce some of the macabre undertones in the original song. Plutarch then uses the song as a rebel anthem.[12]

In the prequel novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020), the song is revealed to have been penned by Lucy Gray Baird, the first Hunger Games victor from District 12.[21] Lucy Gray wrote "The Hanging Tree" after she and Coriolanus Snow witnessed the execution of rebel Arlo Chance.[22]

Reception and promotion

With "The Hanging Tree", Jennifer Lawrence (pictured) became one of 13 Academy Award recipients to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

"The Hanging Tree" received positive reviews from music critics, with several critics complimenting its effectiveness as a murder ballad. Jeff Baker, writing for OregonLive.com called the song the best part of the film. Baker complimented Lawrence for turning the track into a "murder ballad that calls back to her Kentucky roots".[23] Stereogum writer Gabriella Tully Claymore called it a "creepy-as-hell take on classic Americana murder ballads".[24] Stephanie Merry from The Washington Post praised Lawrence's vocal delivery, commenting that her "raspy voice [matches] the dark narrative and Appalachian style of the music".[16]

"The Hanging Tree" debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week of 13 December 2014 and debuted outside the 50 position (2.1 million U.S. streams) on Streaming Songs, charting at number two (200,000 downloads sold) on Digital Songs and received eight spins on U.S. radio. "The Hanging Tree" became the highest-charting song from The Hunger Games franchise on the chart, surpassing "Eyes Open" by Taylor Swift, which peaked at number 19.[25] Lawrence became one of 13 Academy Award-winning recipients to chart on the Hot 100;[25] the last female Academy Award winner to achieve this feat was Cher with "Believe" (1998).[26] The song peaked at number one in Austria, Germany[27] and Hungary;[28] it peaked in the top five in Australia.[29] It was certified platinum by Music Canada (MC) and double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[30][31]

"The Hanging Tree" was performed live for the first time at "Hollywood in Vienna", a gala honoring excellence in music.[32] James Newton Howard performed with Edita Malovčić as a substitute for Lawrence;[32] it was conducted by Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops Orchestra.[33] Howard was reportedly in tears after the performance and rose to his feet to give a standing ovation.[34] To promote the song, Howard embarked on a European tour called "3 Decades of Music for Hollywood"[35] and held a contest in search for a female vocalist, one for each tour date, that would sing Lawrence's verses.[36]

A new version of "The Hanging Tree" featuring vocals from American actress Rachel Zegler was released on October 20, 2023, as the first single from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes soundtrack. Zegler portrays Lucy Gray Baird in the film adaptation of the same name.[37]

Track listing

CD single (Germany)[38]
No.TitleLength
1."The Hanging Tree"3:38
2."The Mockingjay"2:40
Digital download – Remix[39]
No.TitleLength
1."The Hanging Tree (Rebel Remix)"2:27

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (Original Motion Picture Score).[7]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[72] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[73] Gold 15,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[74] Platinum 80,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[75] Gold 30,000^
Germany (BVMI)[76] Platinum 400,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[77] Platinum 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[78] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[79] 2× Platinum 1,100,000[2]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States December 9, 2014 Contemporary hit radio Republic [8]
December 15, 2014 Hot adult contemporary radio [80]
Germany December 19, 2014 Compact disc [38]

References

  1. 1 2 Brandle, Lars (30 November 2014). "Jennifer Lawrence's 'The Hanging Tree' Nabs Top 20 Debuts in U.K., Australia". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Caulfield, Keith (30 January 2015). "Jennifer Lawrence's 'The Hanging Tree': The Roots of 'The Hunger Games' Hit". Billboard. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. 1 2 Lynch, Joe (13 November 2014). "Watch Jennifer Lawrence Reveal Her Terrible Singing Voice on 'Letterman'". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  4. 1 2 Dunham, Jess (1 December 2014). "Mockingjay Part 1: Jennifer Lawrence wins first UK Top 20 single with Hunger Games anthem". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Grow, Kory (21 November 2014). "Hear Jennifer Lawrence's Haunting 'Hunger Games' Ballad". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  6. 1 2 "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Pt. 1 (Original Motion Picture Score) by James Newton Howard". iTunes / Apple Music. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  7. 1 2 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (Original Motion Picture Score) (Media notes). James Newton Howard. Republic Records / Lionsgate Entertainment. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. 1 2 "CHR – Available For Airplay". FMQB. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Jennifer Lawrence's "The Hanging Tree" Got a Pop Radio Remix". Fuse (TV channel). 7 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Jue, Teresa (18 December 2014). "Here's the inevitable dance remix to 'Mockingjay's' 'Hanging Tree'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  11. ↑ ""The Hanging Tree" from 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1' Sheet Music in A Minor (transposable)". Musicnotes.com. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Mason, Amelia (10 December 2014). "The Hidden Roots Of 'Hunger Games' Hit Song? Murder Ballads, Civil Rights Hymns". WBUR. National Public Radio. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  13. ↑ Fresh, Mikey (26 November 2014). "Jennifer Lawrence's Vocals On 'The Hanging Tree' Might Surprise You". Vibe. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  14. ↑ Payne, Chris (19 December 2014). "Hear the Dance Remix of Jennifer Lawrence's 'Hunger Games' Song 'The Hanging Tree'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Payne, Chris (19 December 2014). "Hear the Dance Remix of Jennifer Lawrence's 'Hunger Games' Song 'The Hanging Tree'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  16. 1 2 Merry, Stephanie (1 December 2014). "Jennifer Lawrence: A reluctant pop star hits the charts with 'The Hanging Tree'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  17. ↑ Hasty, Katie (12 November 2014). "Jennifer Lawrence cried the day she shot her singing scene in 'Mockingjay'". Uproxx. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  18. ↑ Smith, C. Molly (21 November 2014). "Hear Jennifer Lawrence sing 'The Hanging Tree' in 'Mockingjay'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  19. ↑ "Jennifer Lawrence's "The Hanging Tree" hits the Billboard chart". CBS News. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  20. 1 2 3 Weber, Lindsay (24 November 2014). "What Is the Origin of Mockingjay's Haunting Song, 'The Hanging Tree'?". Vulture. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  21. ↑ Perez, Lexy (23 May 2020). "'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes': The Biggest Questions Answered in the 'Hunger Games' Prequel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  22. ↑ Matsumoto-Duyan, Madeline (7 June 2020). "The Hunger Games: 5 Questions The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Answered". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  23. ↑ Baker, Jeff (20 November 2014). "'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1' review: Jennifer Lawrence, frustrated and pouty, is trapped in a bad movie". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  24. ↑ Tully Claymore, Gabriela (2 February 2015). "Jennifer Lawrence's Hunger Games Song Has Gone Platinum". Stereogum. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  25. 1 2 "Jennifer Lawrence Debuts on Hot 100: 'The Hanging Tree' Bows at No. 12". Billboard. 7 December 2014. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  26. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (3 December 2014). "Jennifer Lawrence Debuts on Billboard Hot 100: 'The Hanging Tree' Bows at No. 12". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  27. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  28. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  29. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Archived from the original on 30 August 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  30. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – James Newton Howard – The Hanging Tree". Music Canada. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  31. ↑ "American single certifications – James Newton Howard – The Hanging Tree". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  32. 1 2 Wickman, Kase (23 October 2014). "'Hunger Games': See The Haunting First Live Performance of 'Hanging Tree'". MTV. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  33. ↑ Zalben, Alex (15 September 2015). "'Hunger Games' Fans, Get Ready To Hear 'Hanging Tree' Live [Exclusive]". MTV. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  34. ↑ "BMI Composer James Newton Howard Honored With Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award". Broadcast Music, Inc. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  35. ↑ "James Newton Howard : GEALive". www.gealive.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  36. ↑ Van Rossem, Aline (18 September 2017). "Blanche sings "The Hanging Tree" with composer James Newton Howard on "Van Gils en Gasten"". Wikibloggs. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  37. ↑ Zemler, Emily (20 October 2023). "Hear Rachel Zegler Perform 'The Hanging Tree' for 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  38. 1 2 "The Hanging Tree (2-Track)" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  39. ↑ "The Hanging Tree (Rebel Remix) [From "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Pt. 1"] [feat. Jennifer Lawrence] - Single by James Newton Howard". iTunes Store. Apple. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  41. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  42. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  43. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  44. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  45. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  46. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  47. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201450 into search.
  48. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  49. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  50. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  51. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Hanging Tree". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  52. ↑ "Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 48 (dal 24.11.2014 al 30.11.2014)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  53. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  54. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  55. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". VG-lista. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  56. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201450 into search. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  57. ↑ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
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  59. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  60. ↑ "James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  61. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
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  63. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  64. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  65. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  66. ↑ "James Newton Howard Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  67. ↑ "Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2014". Mahasz. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  68. ↑ "Jahreshitparaden Singles 2015" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  69. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100 Year End 2015". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  70. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
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  72. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  73. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – James Newton Howard – The Hanging Tree" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  74. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – James Newton Howard – The Hanging Tree". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  75. ↑ "Danish single certifications – James Newton Howard – The Hanging Tree". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  76. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence; 'The Hanging Tree')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  77. ↑ "Sverigetopplistan – James Newton Howard" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  78. ↑ "British single certifications – James Newton Howard/Lawrence – The Hanging Tree". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  79. ↑ "American single certifications – James Newton Howard – The Hanging Tree feat. Jennifer Lawrence". Recording Industry Association of America.
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