Pretty Polly- Lilian Napier (KY) 1937 REC Lomax
[From LOC recording 1375 A-B1 PRETTY POLLY by Alan Lomax.
R. Matteson 2016]
Pretty Polly- sung by Lilian Napier on on September 23, 1937 at the Pine Mountain settlement school, Pine Mountain, Ky. , recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax, 1937.
"Polly, pretty Polly, come go with me,
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me
Before we get married some pleasure to see."
He led her over the mountains and valleys so deep,
Pretty Polly [1] began to weep.
"Willie, O Willie, I'm 'fraid of your ways,
I'm fraid you're leading my body astray."
No time to study, no time to stand
He came with knife all in his right hand.
He stabbed her to the heart, the blood did flow,
And in her grave pretty Polly did go.
He threw some dirt over and started to go home,
And left the little birds for to grieve and mourn.
He got home before it was light,
And distracted to die and died the same night
His father and mother are left to weep
Are weeping over Willie in hell so deep.
A debt to the devil Willie must pay,
For killing Pretty Polly who loved him so dear.
1. missing text