Pretty Polly
Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn Lyrics
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Polly, Pretty Polly, go along with me
′Fore we get married, some pleasures to see
She climbed up behind him and away they did ride
Climbed up behind him and away they did ride
O'er the mountains to the other side
Willie, Oh Willie, I'm afraid of your ways
I fear your intention to lead me astray
They rode o'er the mountains and valleys so deep
Rode o′er the mountains and valleys so deep
Soon Pretty Polly, she began to weep
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is ′bout right
Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is 'bout right
I dug on your grave the better part of last night
He stabbed her the heart, her heart′s blood did flow
Stabbed her the heart, her heart's blood did flow
Into the grave Pretty Polly did go
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
Well now, gentlemen and ladies, I bid you farewell
Gentlemen and ladies, I bid you farewell
For killing Pretty Polly, my soul will be in hell
"Pretty Polly" is a traditional murder ballad that tells the tragic story of a young woman named Polly who falls victim to the deceitful and treacherous intentions of a man named Willie. The song begins with Willie persuading Polly to go along with him on a journey before their potential marriage, promising her pleasures to experience. Polly agrees and climbs up behind Willie as they ride away over the mountains to the other side, symbolizing their departure from safety and familiarity.
As they continue their journey, Polly starts to express her fear of Willie's intentions, feeling that he is leading her astray. They ride through mountains and deep valleys, and Polly's distress escalates, leading her to weep. Willie responds by acknowledging her intuition, implying that her suspicions are accurate. He reveals that he dug her grave the previous night, suggesting his premeditated plan to kill her.
In the final verse, Willie stabs Polly in the heart, causing her blood to flow and ultimately leading to her burial in the grave he had prepared. The song concludes with a chilling acknowledgment of the consequences of Willie's actions, as he bids farewell to the listeners, confessing that his soul will be condemned to hell for killing Pretty Polly.
Overall, "Pretty Polly" serves as a cautionary tale that warns about the dangers of trusting someone with hidden intentions. It highlights themes of deception, manipulation, and the tragic consequences that can arise from such deceit.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me
Polly, my dear, please accompany me
Polly, Pretty Polly, go along with me
Polly, my dear, come with me
′Fore we get married, some pleasures to see
Before we marry, let's enjoy some pleasures together
She climbed up behind him and away they did ride
She got on behind him and they rode away
Climbed up behind him and away they did ride
She got on behind him and they rode away
O'er the mountains to the other side
Across the mountains to the other side they traveled
Oh Willie, oh Willie, I′m afraid of your ways
Oh Willie, I'm scared of your intentions
Willie, Oh Willie, I'm afraid of your ways
Willie, Oh Willie, I'm scared of your intentions
I fear your intention to lead me astray
I'm afraid you want to mislead me
They rode o'er the mountains and valleys so deep
They traveled over the deep mountains and valleys
Rode o′er the mountains and valleys so deep
Traveled over the deep mountains and valleys
Soon Pretty Polly, she began to weep
Soon Pretty Polly started crying
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is ′bout right
Polly, my dear, your guess is about correct
Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is 'bout right
Polly, my dear, your guess is about correct
I dug on your grave the better part of last night
I spent most of last night digging your grave
He stabbed her the heart, her heart′s blood did flow
He stabbed her in the heart, and her blood flowed
Stabbed her the heart, her heart's blood did flow
Stabbed her in the heart, and her blood flowed
Into the grave Pretty Polly did go
Pretty Polly went into the grave
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
(Oh, Pretty Polly)
Well now, gentlemen and ladies, I bid you farewell
Now, ladies and gentlemen, I say goodbye to you
Gentlemen and ladies, I bid you farewell
Ladies and gentlemen, I say goodbye to you
For killing Pretty Polly, my soul will be in hell
Because I killed Pretty Polly, my soul will go to hell
Writer(s): Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn
Contributed by Emily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.