“Jumbo (Mama Sent Me to the Spring)”
Description
"Mama sent me to the spring, Told me not to stay. I fell in love with a pretty little boy And stayed till Christmas day."
Notes
The notes in Brown say that the fragment cited is part of a Kentucky song called "Jumbo." I suspect it's part of a singing game -- but since "Jumbo" apparently is not in any accessible collection, I can't do anything with my suspicions except complain that the editors should have given more details.
The Carter Family text of "Fond of Chewing Gum" contains a stanza very like this one, but that text is full of other intrusions, so it's not clear that they should be identified; none of the other texts of "Chewing Gum" (e.g. those in Randolph) include the stanza. - RBW
References
- BrownII 142, "Mama Sent Me to the Spring" (1 text)
- Roud #4245
- BI, BrII142