I gave my love a cherry - new thought?

Subject: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: GUEST,Eluned
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 12:06 AM

It just occurred to me, the line "a love, that has no end"; romantic love is notorious for ending, but how sbout a mother's love for her child? How could that be fitted into this? Motherlove is notorious for not ending (even sometimes past death of child or even mother). Thoughts?

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 04:43 AM

As I remember, it was a story with no end, explained as the story of their love.

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: CapriUni
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 08:04 AM

Keith -- Yes, but if the story of their love is unending, doesn't that imply that their love is unending?

Interesting idea, Eluned. How would that change your interpretation of the verses, or answer the riddles, in the song?

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 09:02 AM

From Paddy Roberts


I gave my love a cherry,
As she was passing by,
And to my delight, she took a little bite,
And spat the pip in my eye.

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: GUEST,bignige
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 09:10 AM

Can't help but think of the film Animal House when I hear this song

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 03:46 PM

More than once I've thought that it could be cast as a song of grief and mourning for a stillborn child.

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 12:40 AM

Many moons ago, I learned as "a baby in the makin', there's no cryen
Still works for me..

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: Thompson
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 01:23 AM

Extended analogy. Having given her love a series of impossible things, the latest offer is "a love that has no end", by analogy as impossible as the others.

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jan 16 - 12:45 AM

I gave my love some sherry and got her stoned
I thought my love was chicken but she made no bones
I gave my love a bedding without a ring
My love gave me a baby, now I'm paying.

(I'll get me coat)

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: Thompson
Date: 05 Jan 16 - 03:12 AM

Where does the American connection between 'cherry' and virginity come from?

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: gillymor
Date: 05 Jan 16 - 05:14 AM

A cherry is used as a slang term for a hymen.

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 01:37 AM

Eh, guess given a choice, romantic (or in many of _your_ cases, unromantic!) love is going to appeal to the general populace more. It's odd, how few realize how strongly a mother can love. Perhaps because not all do?
There are a few trad songs about this, but since it only makes a good story when things go wrong...

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: Thompson
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 05:16 PM

But why would a hymen be a cherry? And isn't the term used more of men than of women?

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 05:22 PM

Look at a clitoris. Failing that, a picture of one.

Subject: RE: I gave my love a cherry - new thought?
From: CapriUni
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 08:22 PM

Thomson -- the explanation I read, many, many, years ago is that when the hymen breaks, it bleeds, and leaves a (cherry) red stain on the sheets. So the full slang term for a woman losing her virginity is "popping her cherry."

Of course, hymens are not really proof of virginity, anyway, since they can also break during a normal course ordinary exercise.