Yellow ribbon uses the white ribbon as a sign of forgiveness, and cites the story as the precursor to the tradition of the yellow ribbon for welcome home and forgiveness: The symbol became widely known in civilian life in the 1970s. It was the central theme of the popular song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", Written by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown and recorded by Tony Orlando and Dawn (among many others), as the sign a released prisoner requested from his wife or lover to indicate that she would welcome him home. He would be able to
Tony Orlando and Dawn through the 1960s, he also became a producer and a successful music executive with Columbia Records and Columbia/CBS music. While working as a music executive, Orlando received "Candida," a song other producers and singers had turned down. Originally, Orlando could not lend his name to the song, as he was working for April-Blackwood and recording under his name would be a professional conflict of interest. After producer Hank Medress insisted Orlando dub his voice over the male vocals on the original track, Bell Records released the single as being performed by the band "Dawn" to protect Orlando's position. The background