Purty Polly- John Hammond (KY) 1925 REC
[From: Gennett recording, 1925. Pretty Polly was first recorded by East Kentucky banjo player John Hammond as 'Purty Polly' for Gennett, April 8, 1925. He rerecorded it September 17, 1927.
R. Matteson 2016]
Purty Polly- sung by banjoist John Hammond, 1925.
Banjo
1. So when I lived in London, the city [of] Maryland town[1]
So when I lived in London, the city [of] Maryland town.
I met with a lady, her beauty is never found.
2. They call her Purty Polly, her name I knew so well
They call her Purty Polly her name I knew so well
I loved of her body[2] and sent her soul to hell.
3. So where is Purty Polly? Oh yonder she stands, [sim.]
With the rings on her fingers, and lily-white hands.
4 Come and go my Purty Polly come go along with me,
Before we get married and pleasure to see.
5. He led her over hills and o'er valleys so deep,
Finally she mistrusted and then began to weep.
6 "Purty Polly, Purty Polly, what makes you so sad,
With nothing concerning for you to be so mad?"
7 "Oh Willie, oh Willie I'm 'fraid of your ways,
The way you've been rambling to lead me astray."
8 "Purty Polly, Purty Polly, your guessing just right,
I dug on your grave six long hours of last night.
9 She threw her arms around him and cried into tears,
"How can you kill a poor girl that loves you so dear?"
10. "There's no time for talking, there's no time to stand,"
He drew out a weapon, all in his right hand.
11. He stobbed her through the heart and that blood it did flow,
And down in the grave Purty Polly sure did go.
1. cf. Phoebe Parsons, WV Bush III 1972
2. I love everybody (Who loved everybody)