According to my mother, this was the first advertising jingle, for the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P stores), and it was a sales gimmick; around the time that cameras were a newfangled thing, the store was giving away photos of babies to anyone who bought a half-pound of tea.

The lyrics were:

Today's the day
we give babies away
with half a pound of tea.
If you know any lady who wants a baby
Just send her 'round to me!

(also according to my mother, she sang this on the way to the hospital to deliver me!) ;-)

So naturally, I had to check this thread out -- it's my song!