Mysteriously entitled 12th of Never on the Sandy Denny (Boxset) this is actually the old folk song ‘I Gave My Love A Cherry” – also known as ‘The Riddle Song’. On this snippet, possibly recorded for an unknown Granada TV project, Sandy sings only the middle verse.
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 when it’s rolling, it has no end
A baby when it’s sleeping, there’s no crying
Trad. Arr. Denny