Here's a link to one version of the song (slightly different from the way we've sung it) from a folk song historian.
Daddy Bob (at left) first sang the song to his children, including Grandma Nikki (at right.)A few weeks ago, Monroe and I were driving home from "school" (a.k.a. daycare) and I asked her "what did you do today?" like I always do. She told me she played with Grant and Auvenish, her current best friends. Then she said, "Auvenish fall down. He cried. Then I sing him my cherry song." I thought that story was so kind and sweet! It is so amazing to see Monroe's emotions developing in this direction.
I have such tender, sweet memories of my father singing the cherry song to me as I grew up. It was a one of the ways he transported his love for me into my heart. It was such a reassurance for me. The song still makes me cry because it puts me in touch with him, even though he is no longer alive. When I hear Eben sing it to Monroe, I feel like the three of us are united with my father somehow, even though he died before she was born and I, too feel soothed by Eben's voice. It's as if he is singing it with the breath my father breathed into the song when I heard it many years ago. Last month, during my visit to LA, I sang it to Monroe. Sometimes I couldn't get through it without crying, which I see as a good thing. If I could sing the song all the way to the end, it made me profoundly happy that I, too could be my father's voice.
ReplyDeleteDaddy Bob lives on...so touching. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeletePeggy
What a great testament to a life well lived!
ReplyDeleteI sang this song to our daughters when they were young and I was putting them to bed. I also remember Dad (Daddy Bob) singing it to Eben and to Naomi when they were young (I imagine he sang it to Adam but I wasn't old enough or wasn't around to remember it).
ReplyDeleteThese are the words as I remember them and as I sing them:
I gave my love a cherry without a stone
I gave my love a chicken without a bone
I told my love a story that has no end
And I gave my love a baby with no cryin'
How can there be a cherry without a stone?
How can there be a chicken without a bone?
I've never heard a story that has no end
And I've never seen a baby with no cryin'
Well, a cherry when it's bloomin', it has no stone
A chicken when it's a pippin', it has no bone
The story of my love, it has no end
And a baby when it's sleepin', there's no cryin'
Good memories.
Brian, thanks for posting the lyrics. When Eben wanted to sing the song as an adult, he didn't remember exactly how it went, so we ended up with a slight variation on those words. Veronica also remembers the same words as you do, I think. She sang the song to Monroe on her recent visit.
ReplyDeleteThis is so close to my heart.
ReplyDelete