Bobby Darin wrote JAILER BRING ME WATER and recorded it in 1961. It was released in 1962 as a single, the B side of THINGS, also on an LP "Things & Other Things" (Atco 33-146, 1962), which has been rereleased as a CD.

The song has sometimes been mistakenly called "traditional."

It has been recorded by lots of people, for example, The Bachelors, Jackie DeShannon, Freddie & the Dreamers, Johnny Rivers, Johnny Tillotson. There is even a French version called DIS-LUI QUE J'EN RÊVE (JAILER BRING ME WATER), with French lyrics by G. Aber, recorded by Johnny Hallyday.

The tune sounds like a jazzy upbeat version of GO TELL AUNT RHODY.

Penny Lang apparently recorded it on "Penny Lang and Friends Live" but I haven't heard her version, so I can't verify that it's the same as Darin's.

Below is a simplified version of what Darin sang, from http://www.bobbydarin.com/jailer.html. As usual for him, he embellished the repeated lines with lots of "throwaway" words like "Oh, well, now, come on, won't ya..."


JAILER BRING ME WATER
(Bobby Darin)

CHORUS: Jailer, bring me water. (3x)
My throat is kind o' dry.

1. I never had me no money. (3x)
I ain't that kind o' guy.

2. I'm gonna work till the good Lord calls me. (3x)
It'll be in the by and by.

3. Jailer, if you see my baby, (3x)
Just tell her I said goodbye.