The Riddle Song
Encyclopedia
"The Riddle Song," also known as "I Gave My Love a Cherry" is an English
folk song, apparently a lullaby
, which was carried by settlers to the American Appalachians. It descends from a 15th-century English song in which a maiden says she is advised to unite with her lover. It is related to Child Ballad
no. 1, or "Riddles Wisely Expounded
" and Child Ballad
no. 46 Burl Ives
recorded it on 11 February 1941 for his debut album, Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
. Since then, it has been recorded by many artists, including Pete Seeger
, Joan Baez
, Doc Watson
, Sam Cooke
, The Meters
, and Carly Simon
.
The song was featured in the famous toga party
scene in the movie National Lampoon's Animal House
, where John Belushi
's character Bluto comes across a folk singer (portrayed by singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop
, who is credited as "Charming Guy With Guitar") performing the song for a group of college girls. Bluto abruptly takes the singer's acoustic guitar out of his hands and smashes it, then hands a splintered piece of it back, saying "Sorry." Bishop told Songfacts that he and the film's musical director Kenny Vance
came up with the idea for his folk singer character to perform "Cherry." "It seemed like the right song to do in the scene," he said.
The song was also featured in the children's CD, the Song of the Unicorn. It only used two of the verses, and they were changed around a little bit.
One version of the Riddle Song:
"I gave my love a cherry without a stone
I gave my love a chicken without a bone
I gave my love a ring that had no end
I gave my love a baby with no crying
How can there be a cherry that has no stone?
How can there be a chicken that has no bone?
How can there be a ring that has no end?
How can there be a baby with no crying?
A cherry when it's blooming it has no stone
A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone
A ring while it's rolling, it has no end
A baby when it's sleeping, has no crying
The song's "cherry that has no stone" goes back to the 15th-century version's "the cherye with-outyn ony ston." Some have seen it as a reference to the hymen
, and some have even tried to reconstruct an original bawdy version from which modern versions are supposedly bowdlerized. However, the relevant slang sense of "cherry" is not attested till the early 20th century. The other riddles in the original do not resemble the "reconstructions."
Despite the popularity of the title "The Riddle Song", it is merely one of a multitude of riddle songs; the format is common through folk music.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
folk song, apparently a lullaby
Lullaby
A lullaby is a soothing song, usually sung to young children before they go to sleep, with the intention of speeding that process. As a result they are often simple and repetitive. Lullabies can be found in every culture and since the ancient period....
, which was carried by settlers to the American Appalachians. It descends from a 15th-century English song in which a maiden says she is advised to unite with her lover. It is related to Child Ballad
Child Ballads
The Child Ballads are a collection of 305 ballads from England and Scotland, and their American variants, collected by Francis James Child in the late nineteenth century...
no. 1, or "Riddles Wisely Expounded
Riddles Wisely Expounded
"Riddles Wisely Expounded" is a traditional English song, dating at least to 1450. It is Child Ballad 1 and Roud 161, and exists in several variants...
" and Child Ballad
Child Ballads
The Child Ballads are a collection of 305 ballads from England and Scotland, and their American variants, collected by Francis James Child in the late nineteenth century...
no. 46 Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
recorded it on 11 February 1941 for his debut album, Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
Released in August 1941, Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger is an album consisting of four 10-inch records by Burl Ives. This record set marked Ives's debut as a recording artist...
. Since then, it has been recorded by many artists, including Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Doc Watson
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
, Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
, The Meters
The Meters
The Meters are an American funk band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Meters performed and recorded their own music from the late 1960s until 1977...
, and Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
.
The song was featured in the famous toga party
Toga party
A toga party is a particular kind of costume party in which party-goers wear a toga, or a semblance thereof, normally made from a bed sheet, and sandals...
scene in the movie National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
, where John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
's character Bluto comes across a folk singer (portrayed by singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop
Stephen Bishop (musician)
Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist.-History:Bishop was born in San Diego, California, and attended Will C. Crawford High School...
, who is credited as "Charming Guy With Guitar") performing the song for a group of college girls. Bluto abruptly takes the singer's acoustic guitar out of his hands and smashes it, then hands a splintered piece of it back, saying "Sorry." Bishop told Songfacts that he and the film's musical director Kenny Vance
Kenny Vance
Kenny Vance is an American singer and music producer who was an original member of Jay and the Americans....
came up with the idea for his folk singer character to perform "Cherry." "It seemed like the right song to do in the scene," he said.
The song was also featured in the children's CD, the Song of the Unicorn. It only used two of the verses, and they were changed around a little bit.
One version of the Riddle Song:
"I gave my love a cherry without a stone
I gave my love a chicken without a bone
I gave my love a ring that had no end
I gave my love a baby with no crying
How can there be a cherry that has no stone?
How can there be a chicken that has no bone?
How can there be a ring that has no end?
How can there be a baby with no crying?
A cherry when it's blooming it has no stone
A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone
A ring while it's rolling, it has no end
A baby when it's sleeping, has no crying
The song's "cherry that has no stone" goes back to the 15th-century version's "the cherye with-outyn ony ston." Some have seen it as a reference to the hymen
Hymen
The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia. The size of the hymenal opening increases with age. Although an often practiced method, it is not possible to confirm with certainty that a girl or woman is a...
, and some have even tried to reconstruct an original bawdy version from which modern versions are supposedly bowdlerized. However, the relevant slang sense of "cherry" is not attested till the early 20th century. The other riddles in the original do not resemble the "reconstructions."
Despite the popularity of the title "The Riddle Song", it is merely one of a multitude of riddle songs; the format is common through folk music.