Polones on the road.............

Subject: Polones on the road.............
From: GUEST,Vin2
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 10:57 AM

Hi, Been recetoy learning the Ewan McColl song 'Champion at Keeping em Rolling' one line reads:

The Polones on the road give the thumb sign to me

Been trying to find out what is meant by 'Polones'

Anyone got any thoughts ?

Subject: RE: Polones on the road.............
From: Newport Boy
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 11:24 AM

The footnotes in the Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger Songbook give "slang for girls".

Phil

Subject: RE: Polones on the road.............
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 01:43 PM

Gay slang, curiously.

Subject: RE: Polones on the road.............
From: Snuffy
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 01:47 PM

Polone (or palone) is a cant word from Polari, defined as "woman (Italian paglione - "straw mattress", [cf. old Cant "hay-bag" = woman]); also spelled "polony" in Graham Greene's 1938 novel Brighton Rock

Subject: RE: Polones on the road.............
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 26 Aug 17 - 10:57 AM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polari
" As many homosexual men worked in theatrical entertainment it was also used among the gay subculture, at a time when homosexual activity was illegal, to disguise homosexuals from hostile outsiders and undercover policemen. It was also used extensively in the British Merchant Navy, where many gay men joined ocean liners and cruise ships as waiters, stewards and entertainers.[10]"
"Polari had begun to fall into disuse amongst the gay subculture by the late 1960s. The popularity of the Julian and Sandy characters played by Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Williams ensured that some of this secret language sexual exploits. In addition, the need for a secret subculture code declined with the partial decriminalization of adult homosexual acts in England and Wales under the Sexual Offences Act 1967."
"palone
woman (Italian paglione - "straw mattress", [cf. old Cant "hay-bag" = woman]); also spelled "polony" in Graham Greene's 1938 novel Brighton Rock"

Subject: RE: Polones on the road.............
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 17 - 12:44 PM

Maybe it just means Pylons ?

Subject: RE: Polones on the road.............
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 26 Aug 17 - 10:01 PM

Truck Stop Women!

The best kind.