Silverstein's passion for music was clear early on as he studied for a while at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. As a songwriter, Silverstein kept a low profile but cast a long shadow. He tended to shun publicity and even photographers. Nonetheless, his musical output included many songs which were hits for other artists. Most notably, he wrote the music and lyrics for "A Boy Named Sue" that was performed by Johnny Cash (for which he won a Grammy in 1970); "One's on the Way" (which was a hit for Loretta Lynn), and "The Unicorn Song" which, despite having nothing to do with Ireland nor Irish culture, became the signature piece for The Irish Rovers in 1968 and is popular in pubs all over the world to this day. He wrote the lyrics and music for most of the Dr. Hook songs, including "Cover of the Rolling Stone", "Freakin' at the Freakers' Ball", "Sylvia's Mother", and the cautionary song about VD, "Don't Give a Dose to the One You Love Most". He also wrote many of the songs performed by Bobby Bare, including "Marie Laveau", "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe", "The Mermaid", "The Winner", and "Tequila Sheila". The song "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan",] recorded in 1979 by Marianne Faithfull and later featured in the films Montenegro and Thelma & Louise, was also by Silverstein.
Polly in a Porny
Shel Silverstein Lyrics
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Down at the dirty flicks.
I saw Polly in a porny.
I didn't know she knew them tricks.
What I seen nearly struck me blind.
I never knew she was theatrically inclined.
I saw Polly in a porny with a pony
Was she gallopin' no no no
Was she trottin' no no no
Was she ridin' cross the country
With some tall dark handsome person?
Was she wearin' her cowboy hat?
Well, not exactly that.
But, I do recall she had her spurs on
I love Polly in a porny.
I keep on goin' back.
In the very last row I'm singin' low
With my coat bouncin' in my lap.
I spend each dime I can afford.
I swear she's gonna win an Academy award.
I saw Polly in a porny with a pony,
And the pony looked a little bored.
In the song "Polly in a Porny" by Shel Silverstein, the singer expresses surprise at seeing his friend Polly in a pornographic film. He observes her performing a variety of sexually explicit acts, including engaging in bestiality with a pony. However, despite the shock value of the lyrics, the singer's tone remains lighthearted and even admiring, as he seems to enjoy watching Polly's performances and suggests she deserves an Academy Award for her acting skills.
Some interpret the song as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the porn industry and its treatment of women, who are often exploited for men's pleasure. By depicting Polly as a willing participant who is in control of her own sexuality, the song suggests a subversion of traditional gender roles and challenges the notion of women as passive objects of desire.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw Polly in a porny
I saw Polly in a pornographic film.
Down at the dirty flicks.
I saw her in a cinema that shows X-rated movies.
I saw Polly in a porny.
I witnessed her being involved in sexually explicit content.
I didn't know she knew them tricks.
I didn't know she had the ability to perform such actions.
What I seen nearly struck me blind.
The sight of her in the film was shocking and overwhelming.
I never knew she was theatrically inclined.
I never knew she had an interest in performing arts, especially acting in X-rated films.
I saw Polly in a porny with a pony,
I saw her performing with a horse in a pornographic film.
And it almost blowed my mind
It was so surprising that it blew my mind.
Was she gallopin' no no no
She wasn't just galloping with the horse as a rider would.
Was she trottin' no no no
She wasn't just moving with the horse in a trotting way.
Was she ridin' cross the country
I momentarily confused her sexual act to a horseback riding adventure.
With some tall dark handsome person?
I was trying to make sense of her partner in the film.
Was she wearin' her cowboy hat?
I was imagining her in a cowgirl outfit.
Well, not exactly that.
My imagination went too far from reality.
But, I do recall she had her spurs on
I remember her wearing spurs in the film.
I love Polly in a porny.
I have become fond of seeing her in X-rated movies.
I keep on goin' back.
I continue to visit the cinema where her films are showing.
In the very last row I'm singin' low
I hide in the back row and hum along to the songs played in the films.
With my coat bouncin' in my lap.
My coat moves around while trying to be discreet in the cinema.
I spend each dime I can afford.
I'm willing to pay anything just to see Polly again.
I swear she's gonna win an Academy award.
I believe her skills in acting in X-rated movies are worthy of a non-existent award.
And the pony looked a little bored.
Even the pony in the film seemed uninterested in the act.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind