At the heart of Berlin’s Tiergarten Park, an anonymous person has carved the lyrics to one of the greatest love songs of all time: Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”
The carving is neat and deliberate. Clearly this was no act of youthful graffiti but rather a meaningful statement of purpose. Whether it was a declaration of love for a person or just for the song itself, the “Stand By Me” Tree has become a touching unsanctioned monument in Tiergarten Park. The bark has long since healed, and Ben E. King’s timeless lyrics will remain as long as the tree stands.
It is unclear when the carving first appeared, but the tree became a popular tourist attraction following King’s death in 2015. Around that time, the chorus of the song appeared on another tree nearby. Looping around the trunk, it reads, “Oh darling, darling, stand by me, stand by me…”
