The Riddle Song (I Gave My Love a Cherry)

“The Riddle Song,” also known as “I Gave My Love a Cherry,” is a traditional English folk ballad with roots traceable to the 15th-17th centuries. Its riddle structure, presenting impossible questions with symbolic answers, comes from a long medieval English tradition found in both printed verse and oral storytelling. The song crossed the Atlantic with early settlers and became part of the Appalachian and Southern mountain repertoire, preserved in multiple regional variants. It was documented by collectors including Cecil Sharp in the early 20th century, and later adapted by John Jacob Niles, whose arrangement helped revive interest in the mid-century folk era. One of the most widely known 20th-century interpretations is by Josh White, whose 1940s recording helped bring the ballad into the broader American folk revival. Over time, the song has also been recorded by Joan Baez, Burl Ives, Sam Cooke, Doc Watson, and others, each reflecting a different stage of its transmission. This performance follows the traditional Appalachian lineage, retaining the core riddle verses that have circulated for centuries. #Traditional #FolkSong #EnglishBallad #AppalachianMusic #JasonPaul

“The Riddle Song,” also known as “I Gave My Love a Cherry,” is a traditional English folk ballad with roots traceable to the 15th-17th centuries. Its riddle structure, presenting impossible questions with symbolic answers, comes from a long medieval English tradition found in both printed verse and oral storytelling. The song crossed the Atlantic with early settlers and became part of the Appalachian and Southern mountain repertoire, preserved in multiple regional variants. It was documented by collectors including Cecil Sharp in the early 20th century, and later adapted by John Jacob Niles, whose arrangement helped revive interest in the mid-century folk era. One of the most widely known 20th-century interpretations is by Josh White, whose 1940s recording helped bring the ballad into the broader American folk revival. Over time, the song has also been recorded by Joan Baez, Burl Ives, Sam Cooke, Doc Watson, and others, each reflecting a different stage of its transmission. This performance follows the traditional Appalachian lineage, retaining the core riddle verses that have circulated for centuries. #Traditional #FolkSong #EnglishBallad #AppalachianMusic #JasonPaul