Intro
B E B A B
[Verse 1]
He followed her up and he followed her down
E B
And into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
A E/G# B F#7
Nor the tongue for to answer him 'nay'
[Verse 2]
B
"Rise up, rise up, my pretty Polly
E B
Rise up and go with me
And I will take you to North Scotland
A E/G# B
And there you'll married be
[Verse 3]
Go fetch you a bag of your father's gold
E B
And some of your mother's tea
And two fine horses out of the stable
A E/G# B
Where there stands thirty and three"
[Chorus]
So she sit upon her nimble-going brown
E B
He's mounted the dapple grey
And when they came to North Scotland
A E/G# B
'Twas just three hours 'til day
[Interlude]
B E B A B
[Verse 4]
"Laid you down, laid you down, my pretty Polly
E B
Laid you down, I say to thee
For six kings' daughters have I drowned here
A E/G# B
And the seventh will surely be thee"
[Verse 5]
"And pull off, pull off your fine gay clothes
E B
And hang them on yonder tree
For they are too fine and they cost too much
A E/G# B
To rot in the salt lake sea"
[Verse 6]
"Well, then you take a sickle and you cut down the nettles
E B
That grow so close to the brim
For I fear they'll tangle my long yellow hair
A E/G# B F#7
They'll tear my lilywhite skin"
[Verse 7]
B
So then he took a sickle and he cut down the nettles
E B
That grow so close to the brim
And she picked him up so skilfully
A E/G# B
And she pushed the false knight in
[Verse 8]
"Lie there, lie there, my false young man
E B
Lie there in the room of me
For six kings' daughters have you drowned here
A E/G# B
And the seventh has drowned thee"
[Chorus]
So she sit upon her nimble-going brown
E B
And she led the dapple grey
And when she came to her father's door
A E/G# B
'Twas just three hours 'til day
[Instrumental]
B E B A B (2x)
[Verse 9]
"Hush up, hush up, my pretty Polly bird
E B
And don't you tell tales on me
Your cage will be made of the very beaten gold
A E/G# B
And the door of the best ivory"
[Verse 10]
But then up spoke a fine young man
E B
In the chamber where he lay
"What's the matter, what's the matter with my pretty Polly bird?
A E/G# B
You're talking so long before day"
[Verse 11]
"Oh, there's two black cats at my cage's door
E B
And my life they will betray
And I'm just calling for my pretty Polly
A E/G# B
To drive those cats away"
[Verse 12]
He followed her up and he followed her down
E B
And into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
A E/G# B
Nor the tongue for to answer him 'nay'
[Intro]
B E B A B (2x) A