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,
Bring me li'l' water, now,
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
Ev'ry li'l' once in a while.

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,
Bring me li'l' water, now,
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
Every li'l' once in a while.

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'?
Don't you hear me comin', now?
Don't you hear me comin'?
Ev'ry li'l' once in a while?

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,
Bring me li'l' water, now,
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
Every li'l' once in a while.

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'?
Don't you hear me comin', now?
Don't you hear me comin'?
Ev'ry li'l' once in a while?

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,
Bring me li'l' water, now,
Bring me li'l' water, Sylvie,
Every li'l' once in a while.

Lawd, Lawd, Sylvie,
Lawd, Lawd, now!
Lawd, Lawd, Sylvie,
Ev'ry li'l' once in a while.

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.
Bring me the bucket, now.
Bring me the bucket, Sylvy.
Every li'l' once in a while.

See me come a'runnin'.
See me come a'runnin', now.
See me come a'runnin'.
Every li'l' once in a while.

Silvy come a'runnin'.
Silvy come a'runnin', now.
Silvy come a'runnin'.
Every li'l' once in a while.

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