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Pretty Polly

[ Roud 15 ; Laws P36B ; Ballad Index LP36 ; trad. arr. A. Johnson]

Sandy Denny sang the cruel murder ballad Pretty Polly on March 22, 1967 in her session with Johnny Silvo. Sandy's guitar is accompanied by double bass. The recording was originally released on Sandy and Johnny. It was reissued in 1977 on the German Nova compilation LP Sandy Denny, some time later on The Original Sandy Denny, and in 2005 on Where the Time Goes.

An alternate recording from the same session was included in the Saga compilation LP Sandy Denny and—for the first time on CD—in 2005 on Where the Time Goes, together with the first version.

A radio broadcast of this song from the BBC World Service programme “The Strawberry Hill Boys Sing and Play Folk Songs” on February 21, 1967 is not available.

See also the related songs Omie Wise and The Prentice Boy / Hanged I Shall Be.

Lyrics

Sandy Denny sings Pretty Polly

“Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me,
Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me,
Before we get married some pleasure to see.”

She got up behind him and away they did ride,
She got up behind him and away they did ride,
Over the hills and the valleys so wide.

They rode a little further and what did they spy,
They rode a little further and what did they spy,
But a new-dug grave with a spade lying by.

“Oh Willy, oh Willy, I'm scared of your ways,
Oh Willy, oh Willy, I'm scared of your ways,
Scared you might lead my poor body astray.”

“Polly, pretty Polly, you've guessed just about right,
Polly, pretty Polly, you've guessed just about right:
I've dug on your grave the best part of last night.”

And he stabbed her in the heart and the heart-blood did flow,
And he stabbed her in the heart and the heart-blood did flow,
Into her grave pretty Polly did go.

He threw a little dirt over her and started for home,
He threw a little dirt over her and started for home,
Leaving nothing behind but the wild birds to moan.

And it's debt to the devil, and Willy must pay,
And it's debt to the devil, and Willy must pay,
For killing pretty Polly and running away.