Pretty Polly is one of the most popular murder ballads in the old-time country canon. Boggs was a talented musician from the western portion of Virginia who spent most of his life working as a coal miner. His recording career came to an end with the collapse of the record industry during the great depression, but he enjoyed a second career after his rediscovery by New Lost City Rambler and musicologist Mike Seeger.

The song itself has a long lineage going back to the British Isles. The story: girl follows boyfriend into the woods, figures out that he is going to kill her, but dies and ends up in a shallow grave anyway.

Pretty Polly (MP3)

Earlier posts:
Dock Boggs playing Country Blues