Pretty Polly
Traditional
- Written by
- Woody Guthrie
- Originally written by
- [Traditional]
- Language
- English
- ISWC
-
T-700.053.448-7 BMI, GEMA, ISWC, JASRAC
- Adapted from
-
Lone Green Valley / The Jealous Lover / Pearl Bryan written by [Traditional]
- Comments
- In the summer of 1937 Woody Guthrie was performing with "Lefty Lou" Crissman. She showed Woody an article about a Philadelphia lawyer being shot in Reno, Nevada. He found it humorous and penned the song "Reno Blues". As was the case with many Woody Guthrie tunes, the music was based on an older tune, the music from "The Lone Green Valley", also known as "The Jealous Lover." (The music is also related "Omie Wise" and "Banks of the Ohio"). Woody and Lefty Lou performed this song in bars all over California, but never recorded it. Rose Maddox learned the song from them and recorded it as "Philadelphia Lawyer" (which is how it's known now). Woody recorded "Philadelphia Lawyer" in 1944 and it was eventually released in 1964.
- Published by
-
GOLDSEN MICHAEL H INC
GEMA
- Licensing
- Request a synchronization license
