The Riddle Song

"The Riddle Song," also known as "I Gave My Love a Cherry," is an English folk song, apparently a lullaby, which was carried by settlers to the American Appalachians. It descends from a 15th-century English song in which a maiden says she is advised to unite with her lover. It is related to Child Ballad no. 1, or "Riddles Wisely Expounded" and Child Ballad no. 46 Burl Ives recorded it on 11 February 1941 for his debut album, Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger. Since then, it has been recorded by many artists, including Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Doc Watson, Sam Cooke, and Carly Simon.
The song was featured in the famous toga party scene in the movie National Lampoon's Animal House, where John Belushi's character Bluto comes across a folk singer (portrayed by singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop, who is credited as "Charming Guy With Guitar") performing the song for a group of college girls. Bluto abruptly takes the singer's acoustic guitar out of his hands and smashes it, then hands a splintered piece of it back, saying "Sorry." Bishop told Songfacts that he and the film's musical director Kenny Vance came up with the idea for his folk singer character to perform "Cherry." "It seemed like the right song to do in the scene," he said.