Free Little Bird

DESCRIPTION: "I'm as free little bird as I can be (x2), I'm as free at my age as a bird in a cage, I'm as free little bird...." "Take me home, little birdie, take me home...." "Oh, I won't build my nest on the ground...."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1927 (recording, Dykes' Magic City Trio)
KEYWORDS: nonballad courting bird home
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (7 citations):
Fuson-BalladsOfTheKentuckyHighlands, p. 130, "Free Little Bird" (1 text)
Shellans-FolkSongsOfTheBlueRidgeMountains, p. 24, "Pretty Little Bird" (1 text, 1 tune)
Jones-MinstrelOfTheAppalachians-Bascom-Lamar-Lunsford, p. 238, "Free Little Bird" (1 text, 1 tune)
Darling-NewAmericanSongster, pp. 268-269, "Free a Little Bird" (1 text)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 391, "Free Little Bird" (1 text)
McNeil-SouthernMountainFolksong, pp. 81-86, "Free Little Bird" (2 texts, 1 tune plus a text and tune of I Wish I Was a Little Bird (Nobody Cares for Me))
NorthCarolinaFolkloreJournal, John Allen Davidson, Jr., "The Songs of Caleb Mashburn," Vol. XX, No. 1 (Feb 1972), pp. 60-61, "(I'm as free a little bird as I can be" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #7690
RECORDINGS:
Allen Brothers, "Free a Little Bird" (Victor V-40266, 1930; Bluebird B-5668, 1934; rec. 1928)
Clarence Ashley, Clint Howard et al: "Free Little Bird" (on Ashley03, WatsonAshley01)
Cousin Emmy [Cynthia May Carver], "Free Little Bird" (Decca 24216, 1947)
Dykes' Magic City Trio, "Free Little Bird" (Brunswick 129, 1927; on CrowTold01)
John Hammond, "Free A Little Bird As I Can Be" (Challenge 332 [as William Price], 1927)
Austin Harmon, "Free Little Bird" (AAFS 2887 A1)
Roscoe Holcomb, "I'm a Free Little Bird" (on Holcomb1, HolcombCD1)
Kentucky Ramblers, "I'm a Free Little Bird" (Paramount 3300, 1932; rec. 1930)
Bascom Lamar Lunsford, "Free Little Bird" (AAFS 1778 B2) (AAFS 3244 A2) (Rounder LP 0065, 1957)
Clayton McMichen's Wildcats, "I'm Free a Little Bird as I Can Be" (Decca 5574, 1938)
Ridgel's Fountain Citians, "Free Little Bird" (Vocalion 5389, 1930; rec. 1929)
[Leonard] Rutherford & [John] Foster, "I'm As Free a Little Birdie As Can Be" (Gennett 6746/Supertone 9352, 1929; on KMM)
Guy Wolff, "As Free A Little Bird As I Can Be" (Piotr-Archive #466, recorded 01/26/2023)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "I'm Alone, All Alone (I)" (lyrics)
cf. "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" (approximate tune)
SAME TUNE:
Clayton McMichen's Georgia Wildcats, "Free a Little Bird As I Can Be No. 2" (Decca 5701, 1939)
Roane County Ramblers, "Free a Little Bird - 1930 Model" (Columbia 15498-D, 1930; rec. 1929)
File: FSWB391A

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