Pretty Polly - The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys
2:48
single, 1951
traditional
This song's origins date back to the late 18th century; it developed from a murder ballad known as "The Gosport Tragedy." A lot more information about the origins of this song and some of its interpreters can be found here. It's a creepy tale, and Ralph Stanley's plaintive, nasal vocals are fittingly eerie. In this version, the cold-blooded killer doesn't just stab Polly to death because he doesn't want to marry her — he makes a nasty remark about her "past reputation" before doing the deed.
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