Polly on the Shore

Not to be mistaken with the traditional song of the same name (also called "The Valiant Sailor"), this piece was written by Lester Simpson of Coope, Boyes and Simpson. They released it on their album Funny Old World in 1996.

The Longest Johns perform "Polly on the Shore" in one of their earliest Youtube videos; in the description, they write:

This one is a Coope, Boyes and Simpson original, with the lyrics written by Lester Simpson. If you haven't come across them, look them up now! Their album "What We Sing" is in our manager's top 5 albums of all time. We hope we do it justice! There's one more of us, so the arrangement is a little different.

Key Controversy

There has historically been significant confusion and disagreement among the band members whenever this song comes up on livestreams as to which key they perform it in. Since May 2022, it seems to have settled on D#, but for historical purposes, here are the keys they have used for each performance currently available on YouTube:

Music video (Apr 2013, w/Josh) - E
Falmouth 2014 (w/Josh) - F
Jan 2020 (Livestream) - F
Feb 2020 (Livestream) - D# (VOD is muted for most of the song, cuts back in during the last chorus)
Apr 2020 (Livestream - A (JD & Andy only)
Jun 2020 (Livestream) - D#
Jun 2021 (Livestream) - D
Nov 2021 (Livestream) - E
May 2022 (Livestream) - D#
Oct 2022 (Livestream) - D#
Sep 2023 (Livestream) - D#

Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their video.

She's your Polly
She's your Polly
She's your Polly
She's your Polly on the shore

She was used, she was abused, she never knew she was a victim
Her drunken father's pleasure before she was half grown
Her Ma' ignored and she endured until one night in anger
She broke the bottle on his head and launched out on her own

{Chorus}
So you can think that she's your Polly on the shore
She'll be your mother or your sister or your whore
She'll be waving 'til you're safely out of view
Then she's looking for another sailor gullible as you

She headed down to Sailor town, began her education
And Polly knew the only way to win was fighting back
She learned the ropes, and fleeced the dopes and dreamed above her station
And she kept half of everything she ever stole from Jack

{Chorus}

When the crimp said her Ma was dead she wished she could have cried
As rumours of a drunken murder spread to Sailortown
Her Pa went free with drunken glee so Polly had him shanghai'd
He woke up on a hellship, Yokohama bound!

{Chorus}

Now Polly dines on finest wines, she is quite the lady
And she owns half of everything in dirty Sailortown
And Polly hires and Polly fires and Polly says what may be
Oh but maybe Polly can't forgot enough to settle down

{Last chorus}
So you can think that she's your Polly on the shore
She'll be your mother or your sister or your whore
She'll be waving 'til you're safely out of view
Then she's looking for another sailor
Coastal fisherman or whaler,
Lookin' for another sailor gullible as you!

Recordings

YouTube Videos

Music Video

Gig Videos

Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, 2014

Full Band Streams