Pretty Polly- Dellie Norton (NC) pre1932 Holt REC
[My date. This is a standard text learned by David Holt from Dellie Chandler Norton (1898-1993) in the 1980s during his stay in Sodom Laurel, Madison County, NC. May be heard on YouTube. Sharp collected a version from the Rice family in Madison County in 1917. Dellie's aunt was a Rice who Sharo collected songs.
Watch/listen on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIA2D0jfF6Q
R. Matteson 2016]
PRETTY POLLY -sung by David Holt; taken from Dellie Chandler Norton
Well Polly, pretty Polly, come and 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 go
She got up behind him and away they did go
Over the hills to the valley below.
They rode a little piece further and what did she spy
They rode a little piece further and what did she spy
New dug grave with a spade lyin' by.
Oh Willie, Oh Willie I'm afraid of your ways
Oh Willie, Oh Willie I'm afraid of your ways
Afraid you will lead my poor body astray
Now Polly, Pretty Polly you're thinking just right
Now Polly, Pretty Polly you're thinking just right
I dug on your grave the best part of last night.
There's no time to talk here there's no time to stand
There's no time to talk here there's no time to stand
He pulled out his knife in his right hand.
He stabbed her in the heart and her heart's blood did flow
He stabbed her in the heart and her heart's blood did flow
And into the grave Pretty Polly did go.
Now he threw a little dirt o'er and started back towards home,
Now he threw a little dirt o'er and started back towards home,
Leaving no one behind but the wild birds to mourn.