What's a 'fly girl' as in sea shanty?

Subject: What's a 'fly girl' as in sea shanty?
From: Bill Brown
Date: 02 Apr 25 - 09:37 PM

I see the Mudcat Lyrics search is still broken.

So, I can't search for this.

In the lyrics for the sea shanty "Goodby, Fare Thee Well"

It's a song about sailors anticipating a visit to a Liverpool brothel. In one line there's a reference to "fly girls." Any info on what the term means? Is it just a description of the women (which would match contemporary slang), or a job description? Flies as in fishing lures, their task was to lure men to the house? Or perhaps a sort of greeter at the door?

I learned the song from a recording of Keith Kendrick and the Anchor Men. These words are slightly different from the ones I remember.

Thank you


And when we gets to the Wallasey Gates
Goodbye, fare-ye-well! Goodbye, fare-ye-well!
Oh, Sally and Polly for their flash men do wait
Hurrah me boys! We're homeward bound!

And one to the other you'll hear them say
Goodbye, fare-ye-well! Goodbye, fare-ye-well!
Oh, here he comes Johnny with his fourteen months pay!
Hurrah me boys! We're homeward bound!

We meet with them fly girls and ring the old bell
Goodbye, fare-ye-well! Goodbye, fare-ye-well!
And with them judies, we'll raise merry hell
Hurrah me boys! We're homeward bound!

Subject: RE: What's a 'fly girl' as in sea shanty?
From: mayomick
Date: 03 Apr 25 - 08:12 AM

fly adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › fly_3
(British English) clever and showing good judgment about people , especially so that you can get an advantage for yourself.

Subject: RE: What's a 'fly girl' as in sea shanty?
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Apr 25 - 10:31 AM

Fly Fifers. people from FiFe in scotland are known as Fly Fifers, there is a saying you need a long spon to sup with a person from Fife