What does Katniss' song "The Hanging Tree" mean?

During Mockingjay (both the book and the movie), Katniss sings a song called The Hanging Tree .

It's the one that she sings in District 12 when her and her film crew go for a visit.

I remember reading the lyrics to the song in the original book, and I remember that it's something about a couple of lovers - one of which is to be hanged and is lamenting that they didn't run away together. I'm not 100% on this as it's been a while.

Katniss remembers it from her father singing it to her when she was younger. The song is also actually forbidden - probably because it represents rebellion:

I have not sung "The Hanging Tree" out loud for ten years, because it's forbidden, but I remember every word. I begin softly, sweetly, as my father did.

^{-The Hunger Games: Book Three - Mockingjay, Part One - "The Ashes", Chapter Nine.}

What is the meaning of the song "The Hanging Tree"?

• What does it represent?


• What do the lyrics mean?

This is the scene from the movie in which Katniss sings the song:

and here are the lyrics to the song from the book:

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where they strung up a man they say murdered three.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."

^{-The Hunger Games: Book Three - Mockingjay, Part One - "The Ashes", Chapter Nine.}

It should be pointed out that in the movie, Plutarch Heavensbee , claims that he changed the part "Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me." - he switched "rope" with "hope".