Pretty Polly- Banjo Bill Cornett (KY) 1959 Cohen
[From: Mountain Music of Kentucky; SFW40077, 1960. Recorded in 1959 by John Cohen. Notes by Cohen follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
The Lost Recordings of Banjo Bill Cornett (FRC304)
by John Cohen
Bill Cornett was born in East Kentucky in 1890. He started playing banjo at age eight. His musical flair, he reported, was inherited from his mother who sang ballads to him. He operated a country store two miles outside of Hindman. It is said that he’d rather sit and pick his banjo than wait on customers. In 1956 he was elected to the Kentucky State Legislature, representing Knot and Magoffin counties. A Democrat, he picked and sang his way to his first term. “You know how I win? I get the young folks with my music and the old-folks by fighting for old age benefits.” He was proud of his composition “The Old Age Pension Blues,” which he sang on the floor of the Legislature. While serving in the House of Representatives in Frankfort, at age 69 he died of a heart attack while picking his banjo to entertain the customers at a downtown restaurant. The following day, his banjo was banked with flowers at his desk in the House chamber at the Capitol.
I first met him in 1959 at his home near Hindman. Some officials from the United Mine Workers had brought me to his house to hear his music. I was in Kentucky to document local music, and Bill was the first person I recorded. Although he was reticent about performing for my tape recorder, he respected the UMW men’s request and for about an hour, Bill played and sang a bunch of songs, which I recorded and eventually issued on Folkways “Mountain Music of Kentucky.” He would often announce during the song that he was the performer and the composer of the music. He claimed that some of his original songs had been taken from him and plagiarized. He was wary of folksong collectors. He also told me that he had already recorded his best material – it was inside on his tape recorder.
Banjo Bill Cornett died before “Mountain Music of Kentucky” came out.
Pretty Polly- sung by Banjo Bill Cornett of Hindman, KY. Recorded Cohen in 1959.
[banjo intro]
"Polly, pretty Polly, yonder she stands,
Polly, pretty Polly, yonder she stands,
Gold rings on her fingers and lily-white hands."
"Polly, oh Polly, come go along with me,
Polly, oh Polly, come go along with me,
Before we get married some pleasure to see."
He led her through the valleys and hollows so deep,
He led her through the valleys and hollows so deep,
When Pretty Polly began for to weep.
"Willie, oh Willie, I'm afraid of your ways,
Willie, oh Willie, I'm afraid of your ways,
I'm afraid you will lead my poor body astray."
"Polly, oh Polly, you are guessing 'bout right
Polly, oh Polly, you are guessing 'bout right,
I dug on your grave most all of last night."
Walk on two steps further and what did she spy,
Walk on two steps further and what did she spy,
A new dug grave with a spade lying by.
"Willie, oh Willie, would you please spare my life,
Willie, oh Willie, would you please spare my life?
And let me go begging if I can't be your wife."
"Polly, oh Polly, that never can be,
Polly, oh Polly, that never can be,
Your reputation brings trouble to me."
He pressed a dagger through her heart and her heart's blood did flow,
He pressed a dagger through her heart and her heart's blood did flow,
And into the grave Pretty Polly did go.
He threw the dirt over her and started for home,
He threw the dirt over her and started for home,
No one left behind him but the wild birds to mourn.
A debt to the devil poor Willie'll have to pay,
A debt to the devil poor Willie'll have to pay,
For killing Pretty Polly and running away.