Guess the 1960s song lyrics #234

*First line is the artist name. 1968. This was a #1 song for this former guitar player in Roy Orbison's backup band. This song was written by Bob Russell, who also wrote The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. Russell was inspired to write this song when he noticed how big a tree in his yard had grown. This song sold a million in just three weeks and was the best selling record worldwide in 1968. Yet, in a 2011 poll, Rolling Stone readers ranked this song the 2nd worst song of the 1960s. It is sentimental.