Q-

We may be on a "roll" here!

I do seem to recall that a wench in one of our old folksongs was being thusly encouraged:

"Roll, Jenny Jenkins, roll!"

Then there's:

"Roll me over in the clover an' do it again" (related to "Roly Poly Among the Clover"?)

Whatever that means, other than clover stains.

Probably the important generalization about the impact of the minstrel songs is that it was huge and prolonged, from the late 1820's to well into the early 1900's, and evidently worldwide from Australia to Europe to the West Indies.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble