The nine songs from the album are based on poems by such poets as Lo Ching, Lo Ming and Jung Tze and novelist San Mao. The sensation created by the album is partly attributable to the coordination among time, place and people.
「橄欖樹」裡的九首歌，都是李泰祥譜的曲，詞的部份有的是李泰祥寫的，有的是詩人羅青、羅門、蓉子及作家三毛等人的作品。