“Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms”
Description
Chorus: "Roll in my sweet baby's arms (2x)/Lay around the shack till the mail train comes back/Roll in my sweet baby's arms." Floating verses, e.g. "Ain't gonna work on the railroad/Ain't gonna work on the farm"; "Where was you last Friday night...."
Notes
Paul Stamler lists this as a humorous song. I thought I should add that the versions I've heard have been done "straight," often with a blues feel. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Late Last Night When Willie Came Home" (words)
- cf. "My God, How the Money Rolls In" (words)
Recordings
- Buster Carter & Preston Young, "I'll Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (Columbia 15690-D, 1931)
- Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (Mercury 6372, c. 1951)
- Monroe Brothers, "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (Bluebird B-6773, 1937)
- New Lost City Ramblers, "I'll Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (on NLCR03)
References
- Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 178, "I'll Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Silber-FSWB, p. 159, "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (1 text)
- DT, ROLLBABY*
- BI, CSW178