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Knock Two Times: Tony Orlando says that the explosion of yellow ribbons across America in support of soldiers in the Persian Gulf has inspired him to record a sequel to “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree.” The new tune, written by the 46-year-old Orlando, is called “With Every Yellow Ribbon” and is being released by Quality Records. “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” became a hit in 1973 for Tony Orlando and Dawn. But don’t think that Orlando has a claim on the yellow ribbon motif: It dates back to the Civil War when Union officers gave pieces of yellow piping from their uniforms to girlfriends and wives for keepsakes. Or maybe Orlando was inspired by the title song from a 1949 John Wayne Western. It’s about a woman who ties a yellow sash “ ‘round her neck” for a faraway lover.
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