Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly (Stanley Brothers)

Subject: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 29 May 02 - 12:50 PM

I've been listening to The Stanley Brothers version of Pretty Polly and I'm having a tough time with some of the verses. I found three Pretty Polly's in the DT, but none of them are the same as the Stanley's version.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 May 02 - 01:12 PM

Steve, is it this one? Scroll down a bit...........

Subject: Lyr Add: PRETTY POLLY (Stanley Brothers?)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 02 - 01:22 PM

I'm posting it, because the page with this song has already disappeared from a number of online bluegrass songbooks.

~S~

===========================================

PRETTY POLLY
(Traditional)

Oh, Polly, pretty Polly, would you take me unkind
Polly, pretty Polly, would you take me unkind
You to sit beside me, and tell me your mind

Well my mind is to marry and never to part
My mind is to marry and never to part
First time I saw you, you wounded my heart

Well Polly, pretty Polly, come and go along with me
Polly, pretty Polly come go along with me
Before we get married,
Some pleasure we'll see

Well he led her over mountains
And valleys so deep
He led her over mountains
And valleys so deep
Polly mistrusted and then began to weep

Say Willie, little Willie
I'm afraid of your ways
Willie, little Willie
I'm afraid of your ways
The way you've been rambling
And leadin' me astray

Now Polly, pretty Polly
Your guess is about right
Polly, pretty Polly
Your guess is about right
I dug on your grave
The biggest part of last night

Well he led her little farther
And what did she spy
He led her little farther
And what did she spy
New dug grave with a spade lyin' by

Then she knelt down before him
A pleadin' for her life
She knelt down before him
A pleadin' for her life
Let me be a single girl
If I can't be your wife

Now Polly, pretty Polly
That never can be
Polly, pretty Polly
That never can be
Your past reputation's
Been troublin' to me

Well he opened up her bosom
As white as any snow
He opened up her bosom
As white as any snow
He stabbed through the heart
And the blood did overflow

Then he went down to the jailhouse
And what did he say
He went to the jailhouse
And what did he say
Killed pretty Polly
And tryin' to get away.

SH

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 29 May 02 - 02:18 PM

Thanks, you both seem to have the one, although I think that the recording that I have has a few less verses. I'll have to give it a closer listen tonight.

I have heard Don Reno's instrumental Pretty Polly for years, but I had never heard the lyrics unitl I got this Stanley Brothers CD. It's a great song and it's in keeping with "if the woman is alive at the end of the song, it ain't Bluegrass".

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 May 02 - 02:31 PM

Angelfire site- Can still get sound on Netscape but it is gone from IE

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: GUEST,irishajo
Date: 29 May 02 - 02:44 PM

The version WYSIWYG posted is the one Ralph Stanley sang with Patty Loveless on the PBS Bluegrass Special a few months back.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 02 - 02:51 PM

The site is still there... here is the pertinent copy about the PBS rendition:

On the night of January 15th, 2000, Ralph was honored by the Grand Ole Opry by becoming its newest member. The induction was performed by Patty Loveless and Porter Wagoner. During the ceremony, Ralph said "I'll carry the name of the Grand Ole Opry out everywhere that I go. I'll always respect it, and I'll never let it down."

Porter and Patty both appeared on Stanley's award-winning album Clinch Mountain Country. Patty told Ralph that "... Ricky Skaggs wanted so much to be here tonight and I'm sure he's with us in spirit, as is your brother Carter, Mr. Keith Whitley, Curly Ray Cline (longtime fiddler for Stanley who passed away in 1997) and many of the other Clinch Mountain Boys. We're all sharing this evening with you." Patty then joined Ralph to perform a hair-raising version of "Pretty Polly," which she recorded for the Clinch Mountain Country album.

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: Don Firth
Date: 29 May 02 - 04:53 PM

I've got the PBS show on videotape and I was just about to haul it out and try to copy down the words. Thankye, Susan! And Steve, thanks for asking.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 02 - 08:44 PM

And ya know, you can sav that .wav file of the song....

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 29 May 02 - 09:23 PM

I listened again to the version that I have, I believe it's from 1948. It doesn't have the second last verse that is listed here and I'm not sure about the spade/new dug grave verse.

Hmmm, the folk process at work?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 02 - 10:52 PM

When I hear old gospel stuff from recordings, it often is limited to a certain length of playing time. It's not uncommon to find only a refrain, a verse, an instrumental interlude showing off solo technique, and then the refrain again, sometimes twice. I always get frustrated wanting to hear more of the song-- they are never long enough for me, and often the Bible references are disjointed enough that I think there must have been some in-between verses skipped. Then, when I search up the lyrics, sometimes there are more verses. When we use them in church, not only do we use the "extra" verses, but we often write and add even more.

So I wonder if, in concert, a longer version would be normal, as opposed to recordings meant for radio, especially on a ballad?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: GUEST,scott
Date: 14 Sep 09 - 10:14 AM

I've heard that there is about 30 verses to this song originally. I'd like to know all of them.

Subject: Lyr Add: PRETTY POLLY (from The Byrds)
From: longboat (inactive)
Date: 14 Sep 09 - 03:30 PM

Pretty Polly - The Byrds
Sweet Heart of the Rodeo 1997 CD reissue bonus track.

the lyrics

There used to be a gambler who courted all around
There used to be a gambler who courted all around
He courted pretty Polly, such beauty never been found
"Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me
Before we get married, some pleasures to see"

She jumped up behind him and 'way they did go
She jumped up behind him and 'way they did go
Down into the valley that was far below
They went a little further and what did they spot
They went a little further and what did they spot
But a newly dug grave with a spade lying by

"Oh, Willy, hey, Willy, I'm afraid of your ways
Oh, Willy, hey, Willy, I'm afraid of your ways
I'm afraid you will lead my poor body astray"
"Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, you guessed it just right
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, you guessed it just right
I dug all your grave the better part of last night"

Then he stabbed her in her heart till her heart's blood did flow
He stabbed her in her heart till her heart's blood did flow
Down into the grave pretty Polly did go
Now a debt to the devil, that Willy must pay
A debt to the devil, that Willy must pay
For killing pretty Polly and running away

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Pretty Polly, Stanley Brothers
From: longboat (inactive)
Date: 14 Sep 09 - 03:38 PM

Someone mentioned the Ralph Stanley/Patty Loveless version of Pretty Polly. Here It Is