I hope you'll humor me and let me abscond with this message for information on the original song, which is located in the Digital Tradition here (click) The tune is the one I know of as "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" - not the same as what John has in his recording. Is John's tune also traditional for "Nuts in May"?
-Joe Offer-

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Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry:

Gathering Nuts in May

DESCRIPTION: "Here we go gathering nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May, Here we go gathering... On a bright and pretty day." "Who will you have for your nuts in May?" "We'll have (a boy) for the nuts in May." A girl will "pull him across." Repeat for each player
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1894 (Gomme)
KEYWORDS: playparty courting harvest nonballad
FOUND IN: US(MW,NE,So)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Randolph 561, "Gathering Nuts in May" (2 texts, 1 tune, although the second, fragmentary, text may be unrelated)
Linscott, pp. 16-18, "Here We Go Gathering Nuts in May" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, NUTSMAY
Roud #6308
RECORDINGS:
Tony Wales, "Four Children's Singing Games (Nuts in May)" (on TWales1)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" (tune)
Notes: Linscott explains, "This is certainly a dance survival from the May Day destivals of olden days.... The words are a corruption from 'knots of may,' the game is of English origin, and the tune a variant of the country dance melody 'Nancy Dawson.'" - RBW
File: R561

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2004 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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Here's Linscott's version in Folk Songs of Old New England:

Here We Go Gathering Nuts in May

Here We Go Gathering Nuts in May, Nuts in May, Nuts in May,
Here We Go Gathering Nuts in May, on a cold and frosty morning.

Who shall we gather for Nuts in May, Nuts in May, Nuts in May,
Who shall we gather for Nuts in May, on a cold and frosty morning?

Oh, we''ll gather Helen Hubbard (or whomever) for nuts in May, etd.

Who shall we gather for nuts in May, etc.

The Game
There are two opposite rows of players. One side advances and sings; the other side replies. Each side chooses a player, one a "girl" and the other a "boy." At the second verse, the "girl" steps out of line; in the answering verse the "boy" chosen steps out of his line. If the "girl" chosen can be pulled by the "boy" across a line marked on the ground, she must join his side. The game begins again and continues till one side is depleted of players.

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