Physical copy of "Two Blind Mice", our debut EP/demo. Comes in printed card sleeve with both disc and information booklet inside. Only 4 "first edition" copies remaining with the original unedited sleeve text, hurry while stocks last!
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about
Similar versions are also known as “The Gosport Tragedy”, “The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter”, and jokingly by us, “Death to the Mandolin Player” due to how long and complicated our version was to create and learn. This is a tongue-twisting murder ballad originally from Hampshire that survived the trans-Atlantic crossing and has popped up all over North America as a result. It tells the story of Willy, sometimes specified as a ship’s carpenter, who plots to murder his girlfriend Polly, and bury her in the woods. It was collected by Olive Campbell in 1908.
lyrics
Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, come along with me
Before we get married, some pleasure to see
Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, come along with me
Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, come along with me
He led her over hill and valley so deep
At last Pretty Polly began to weep
He led her over hill and valley so deep
He led her over hill and valley so deep
Willy, oh Willy, I’m afraid of your way
I’m afraid you are leading my body astray
Willy, oh Willy, I’m afraid of your way
Willy, oh Willy, I’m afraid of your way
Polly, oh Polly, you've guessed just right
I dug your grave the biggest part of last night
Polly, oh Polly, you’ve guessed just right
Polly, oh Polly, you’ve guessed just right
Go a little further and you will spy
Your grave ready dug and a spade lying by
Go a little further and you will spy
Go a little further and you will spy
She went a little further and she did spy
Her grave ready dug with a spade lying by
She went a little further and she did spy
She went a little further and she did spy
She threw her arms round and suffered no fear
“Could you kill a poor girl who loves you so dear?”
She threw her arms round and suffered no fear
She threw her arms round and suffered no fear
“Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, no time for to stand”
Holding his knife all in his right hand
“Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, no time for to stand”
“Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, no time for to stand”
He pierced it through her heart, her blood it did flow
And into the grave her poor body did go
He threw the sod over and turned to go home
No one left behind, but the little girl to morn
He pierced it through her heart, and her blood it did flow
And into the grave her poor body did go
He threw the sod over and turned to go home
He threw the sod over and turned to go home
Walking fast, walking fast, he got there before light
Went a'raving distracted and died the same night
Walking fast, walking fast, he got there before light
Good old Willy he died that night
Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, come along with me
Before we get married, some pleasure to see
Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, come along with me
Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, come along with me
credits
from Two Blind Mice,
released March 1, 2015
Traditional arranged by Maddy Glenn and Simon James Chisholm
A band we played with very recently at Loughton Folk Club: and they are our French/Breton counterparts! Lovely haunting ghostly music, with a bit of electronics and nicely strange Turkish instruments! Loreley
Sweet harmonies & strummed melodies; the duo delve into decades-old folk, jazz, and country to find a timeless kind of love and connection. Bandcamp New & Notable May 23, 2018
