The Three Crows- Knight (FL) 1950 Morris
[From Folksongs of Florida, Morris, 1950. This is another version (See: In the Pines) that has the "chewing gum" text.
Morris's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
"The Three Ravens" has been popular on the minstrel stage and has otherwise lent itself to numerous parodies. The levity with which this fragment begins suggests parody.
THE THREE RAVENS
(Child, No. 26)
"The Three Crows." Text communicated by Mr. R. J. Knight, Palmetto, who appended this note: "This ballad was sung thus-The leader lined it out and commanded: 'Sing, Brethren, Sing!' Of course, the lining out of the words took place between each stanza."
There were three crows sat on a tree,
And they were black as crows could be.
Said one old crow unto his chum,
"What shall we do for chewing gum?"
"There lies a horse on yonder plain
That by some cruel butcher slain.
We'll perch upon his raw backbone,
And pluck his eyes out one by one!"