"Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie" was first collected from Huddie Ledbetter, also known as Lead Belly. The earliest known performance, by Lead Belly, dates back to 1936. It’s possible that Lead Belly may have based "Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie" on a traditional American song, or that he may have written the song himself. When performing this song, Lead Belly would often tell his audiences that the song was about his uncle Bob Ledbetter, who worked out on the fields plowing the soil. When he got thirsty, he would call for his wife, Sylvie, to bring him some water. It was recorded by Huddie Ledbetter (1935), Harry Belafonte (1955), Lonnie Donegan (1956), Pete Seeger (1963), Pernell Roberts (1963), Wailin' Jennys (2001), The Baptism River Ramblers (2002). It was printed in Seeger's Bells of Rhymney (1964).