Subject: Bring me little water sylvie From: Len N Date: 06 Dec 98 - 10:08 AM Can anyone offer up any background info on Leadbelly's song of this title. Also I have heard just three verses, one that begins with the title line, one that starts with "bring it in a bucket Sylvie", and one that begins with "can't you see me coming" Is anyone aware of any other verses to this song. Thanks Len |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Roger in Baltimore Date: 06 Dec 98 - 10:54 AM Len, Alan Lomax in his book Folk Songs of North American has this to say about the song.
"Lead Belly's Uncle Bob was married to a woman named Sylvie. On hot days when he was ploughing at the bottom of the field a long way from the house, he used to holler to Sylvie to bring the water bucket; and out of this little field holler Lead Belly developed the song and the story." (pg. 518)
When Lead Belly performed outside of the South, he often taught the audience the background of his songs so the audience would understand. Audience from New York often had little concept of the rural South. Lomax includes the "talking bits" in the version of 'Sylvie' included in his book.
Bring Me Li'l' Water, Sylvie
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
The man was in the field ploughin' in the two hottest months of the year, which is July and August. He called his wife, Sylvie, the first time and she didn't hear him, so he called her again, a little louder.
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
That second time, Sylvie heard him. She grab her bucket and fill it with cool water from the well and she went runnin'. Down through the field, the little bucket knockin' against her legs and a little water spillin' out on the cotton dress she wore. She holler back at him to let him know she comin'.
Don't you hear me comin'?
It was hot down there and when that man look up and say li'l' Sylvie comin' trottin' along, he begins to feel good. He commenced to blowin' his horn,
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
Sylvie was just skippin' 'long now, and when she got up near her husban' she hollered again to show him how gald she was to see him,
Don't you hear me comin'?
Well, the man he retch for that bucket and he dip in the dipper an' have him a big. long draught of that cool well-water, look like it do him good right down to his toes. Sylvie just laugh to see him satisfied. Then he tol' her, "Now, llok here, darlin', you better open up your ears a little wider so you can hear me when I holler. I'm burnin' down here in this bottom, and when I wants my water I wants you to come in a hurry. So you listen next time when I holler.'
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
Lawd, Lawd, Sylvie,
written by Huddie Ledbetter and transcribed by Alan Lomax in Folk Songs of North America, pg. 533.
The Leadbelly Songbook edited by Moses Asch and Alan Lomax includes the following three verses.
Bring me the bucket, Sylvy.
See me come a'runnin'.
Silvy come a'runnin'. The talkin' bits show what a great entertainer Lead Belly was. He took a very short song and painted a beautiful word picture to put it in context, all within the actual performance. Enjoy the song! Roger in Baltimore
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Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Susan of DT Date: 06 Dec 98 - 04:40 PM Sylvie, Sylvie, I'm so hot and dry Sylvie, Sylvie, I'm so hot and dry Bring me little water, Sylvie Every little once in a while Belafonte recorded it. Sorry I only entered two verses in the DT. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Len N Date: 06 Dec 98 - 09:31 PM Susan of DT. and Roger in Baltimore. Thanks a million. Len |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Richard McD. Bridge Date: 09 Dec 98 - 03:19 PM I did hear someone argue once that Leadbelly actually borrowed an older traditional song for this. The argument was that this was a prison based chain or labour gang song. The older inmates were not effective as labourers so they had some of the less labour intensive tasks. One of those was carrying the water bucket. Being older they had grey, or slver, hair. So the generic for the old men was "Silver" or "Sylvie". And so........ I have no idea if this is right but it's interesting. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Oct 08 - 06:56 PM Soimebody suggested that a copy of this post should appear in this thread, since it is a significant'y different version. I agree. Thanks, Tom. -Joe- The Mudcat Café TM Thread #114362 Message #2456611 Posted By: topical tom 03-Oct-08 - 02:55 PM Thread Name: Lyr Add: Work Gang Songs Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Work Gang Songs Ooops! Here's "Bring me a Little Water, Sylvie":While traveling on the Judy Collins Wildflowers Festival Tour, I had a few days off and decided to spend it in Bucks County PA with friends, John and Mary Ann Davis. It was there that I recorded Lead Belly's 'Bring Me Little Water Sylvie.' John accompainied me on bass and the old blues singer Rusty James (AKA Leon Redbone) stopped by to add a low vocal soul. Lyrics: D Bring me little water Sylvie A Bring me little water now D G Bring me little water Sylvie A D Every little once in a while Don't you hear me calling Sylvie? Don't you hear me calling now? Don't you hear me calling Sylvie? Every little once in a while Getting' mighty thirsty Sylvie Getting' mighty thirsty now Getting' mighty thirsty Sylvie Every little once in a while Bring me little water Sylvie Bring me little water now Bring me little water Sylvie Every little once in a while Can't you hear me Sylvie? Can't you hear me now? Can't you hear me Sylvie? Every little once in a while Getting' hot and thirsty Sylvie Getting' hot and thirsty now Getting' hot and thirsty Sylvie Every little once in a while Bring me little water Sylvie Bring me little water now Bring me little water Sylvie Every little once in a while Bring me little water Sylvie Bring me little water now Bring me little water Sylvie Every little once in a while Bring me little water Sylvie Bring me little water now Bring me little water Sylvie Every little once in a while Can't you hear me calling Sylvie? Can't you hear me calling now? Can't you hear me calling Sylvie? Every little once in a while |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: quokka Date: 05 Oct 08 - 10:08 PM Here is Sweet Honey in the Rock singing Silvie. Always been one of my favourites Sweet Honey in the Rock |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Rasener Date: 06 Oct 08 - 04:02 AM Here is a version by the late great Lonnie Donegan's son Bring A Little Water, Sylvie |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: wilbyhillbilly Date: 06 Oct 08 - 04:49 AM I,ve actually still got the Lonnie Donegan version which brings back many happy memories of the time I bought it. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 06 Oct 08 - 05:52 AM Here are two separate performances of it by the Wailing Jennys which I like, though I wish they'd take it a bit faster. Sweet Honey's is my fave version though (thanks Quokka). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGsfDKSFC-8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz2eOJC1ugk |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Big Al Whittle Date: 06 Oct 08 - 06:34 AM My cousin Sylvia wouldn't respond to anything like that. She's a nurse. Mind you, if it were a bedpan you needed..... who knows? bring me bedpan Sylvie! hear me callin' you Bring me bedpan Sylvie Cos I'm needin a pooh (but that Sylvie she's a fillin' a resources slip for the health and safety man, who has a cost cutting iniative in full flow at the very moment the all bran starts kickin' in down there on Nightingale ward!) Bring me a bedpan sylvie can't you hear my desperate shout! bring me bedpan sylvie I can feel it coming out! (but that Sylvie she's got some notes to write up for the Mr Screwloose, the orthopaedic surgeon with oakleaves who had to rush out cos he's been a bleeped. And you rush off in this place, when you're a bleeped! your parking space might be under threat!) bring me a bedpan sylvie didn't you hear what I said Bring me bedpan sylvie too late! I've shit the bed. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: quokka Date: 06 Oct 08 - 12:18 PM I see what you mean, Bonnie! That's super slow mo - sports style. Beautiful harmonies, though. It's still Sweet Honeys version for me. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Dennis the Elder Date: 06 Oct 08 - 12:30 PM I am sure I read somewhere that the original version prior to Leadbelly and Lonnie Donegan was concerning a gentleman on death row. Has anyone else heard this. My 2 month old niece has been named Sylvie and I was worried about singing it to her if this was the case. I much prefer your interpretation Rodger about Uncle Bob, much more possitive and less depressive. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: open mike Date: 06 Oct 08 - 01:25 PM yes i had the picture that water was being brought to a jail cell, not in the field. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 06 Oct 08 - 02:36 PM Jail- possible confusion with some derivatives of "The Butcher Boy," but The Ballad Index notes no prior versions of Ledbetter's song. Water was requested by the dying cowboy in Streets of Laredo. I am sure that there are other requests. Also song "Water Boy." |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Cool Beans Date: 06 Oct 08 - 02:41 PM There used to be a radio news anchor in Detroit named Joan Silvi whom I always referred to as Joan (Bring Me Little Water) Silvi. Unfortunately, nobody ever got the reference. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 06 Oct 08 - 05:04 PM The jail idea probably came from a verse which I believe Belafonte sang: Sylvie bring me coffee Sylvie bring me tea. Sylvie bring me every damn thing but she never bring the jailhouse key. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Janie Date: 06 Oct 08 - 09:20 PM I am in love with Sweet Honey's arrangement! Thanks for that, Quokka. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: quokka Date: 07 Oct 08 - 07:38 AM You're welcome, Janie! |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: frogprince Date: 07 Oct 08 - 08:14 PM Belafonte was great on "Sylvie", and I consider "Sweet Honey"'s take on it to be flat out sublime. Youtube doesn't have that by Leadbelly himself; anybody know if that's online anywhere? |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Genie Date: 07 Oct 08 - 10:51 PM I seem to recall reading somewhere (possibly in another thread here) that Belafonte's version derived from an older song from Africa. Does that ring a bell with anyone? |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: Janie Date: 07 Oct 08 - 11:06 PM Frogprince - you can listen to a short sample of Ledbelly singing it on iTunes. |
Subject: RE: Bring me little water sylvie From: topical tom Date: 08 Oct 08 - 11:23 AM Thanks for transferring my post to this thread, Joe. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: GUEST Date: 29 Jan 09 - 11:39 PM Check out the version by Voco on myspace.com with amazing body percussion by Evie Ladin. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: Dave Hanson Date: 30 Jan 09 - 04:58 AM Sweet Honey In The Rocks version is in the film ' A vision Shared ' about Leadbelly and Woody. To me it's the best version ever. Dave H |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: Janie Date: 30 Jan 09 - 09:42 PM Guest, can you provide a link or specific URL? Searching Voco on myspace brings up a long list |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: Janie Date: 30 Jan 09 - 09:52 PM Found it. Voco Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie Nice. The clapping is a very nice touch. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: quokka Date: 31 Jan 09 - 09:07 AM I'll have to look up that film Dave H, - sounds like something I would love. Cheers, Quokka |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: GUEST,Lynn Date: 28 Oct 09 - 10:57 PM Hi Does anyone out there in cyberspace have the guitar chords to Birng Me a Little Water, Sylvie? The simpler, the better. Thanks! |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbell From: GUEST,Jim Date: 09 Dec 09 - 06:25 PM Have a listen to the Steep Canyon Rangers version (my favorite): http://www.billboard.com/album/steep-canyon-rangers/deep-in-the-shade/1283565#/album/steep-canyon-rangers/deep-in-the-shade/1283565 |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbell From: Janie Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:50 PM Wouldn't let me listen unless I signed up for lala. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: Genie Date: 29 Jul 10 - 06:39 PM Just wondering if we've ever figured out where the earliest version of this song comes from. Belafonte's version is notably different from Leadbelly's but probably based on that on or on the one Leadbelly took his from. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 15 Jan 12 - 03:03 PM Refresh- asking Genie's question of 29/7/10! |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: Dennis the Elder Date: 02 Nov 12 - 03:58 PM Janie, I have just listened to the rendition by Voco of Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie, magnificent is the only way to describe it. Thanks for supplying the link, although it took me a couple of years to read your post. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: GUEST,999 Date: 02 Nov 12 - 04:02 PM "although it took me a couple of years to read your post" Long post? |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: GUEST,Guest Date: 05 Aug 13 - 11:03 AM Was watching an early episode of "The Wild, Wild, West" and a version of Sylvie is sung, with the extra lyrics about the "jailhouse key". I wondered where those lyrics came from, glad to get the info about the Belefonte version. the TV show was filmed in 1966, so I am sure that is the version they were taking the lyrics from. |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: Janie Date: 05 Aug 13 - 08:33 PM That original link to Voco now leads to Myspace. The video has since been put up on youtube, therefore likely to last for awhile, so I'll post it. Voco Bring Me Little Water Sylvie Leadbelly (and who is singing with him?) Has also been posted to youtube. Leadbelly Bring Me Little Water Sylvie |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl Date: 06 Aug 13 - 06:33 PM |
Subject: RE: Origin: Bring Me Little Water Sylvie (Leadbelly) From: BrooklynJay Date: 28 Sep 15 - 03:51 PM According to a poster on the YouTube link above, the other singer is Anne Graham. Jay |
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