First published in 1864, \"Pretty Polly Perkins Of Paddington Green\" is a music hall song written by Harry Clifton. The tune of this song was used by George Ridley and the lyrics parodied in his song \"Cushie Butterfield\" which I uploaded some time ago. The tune itself however is probably older than either of these songs as demonstrated in the song \"The Nightingale\" which I have also covered.
Pretty Polly Perkins Of Paddington Green
Harry Clifton
C G C
I am a broken-hearted milkman, in grief I'm arrayed
G
Through keeping of the company of a young servant maid
C G
Who lived on board and wages, the house to keep clean
C Dm G C
In a gentleman's family near Paddington Green
C Dm G
She was as beautiful as a butterfly and proud as a Queen
C Dm G C
Was pretty little Polly Perkins of Paddington Green
She'd an ankle like an antelope and a step like a deer
A voice like a blackbird, so mellow and clear
Her hair hung in ringlets so beautiful and long
I thought that she loved me, but I found I was wrong
When I'd rattle in the morning and cry \"Milk below\"
At the sound of my milk cans her face she did show
With a smile upon her countenance and a laugh in her eye
If I'd thought that she loved me I'd have laid down to die
When I asked her to marry me, she said \"Oh what stuff\"
And told me to drop it, for she'd had quite enough
Of my nonsense... At the same time, I'd been very kind
But to marry a milkman she didn't feel inclined
\"The man that has me must have silver and gold
A chariot to ride in and be handsome and bold
His hair must be curly as any watch-spring,
And his whiskers as big as a brush for clothing\"
The words that she uttered went straight through my heart
I sobbed and I sighed, and I straight did depart
With a tear on my eyelid as big as a bean
I bid farewell to Polly and to Paddington Green
In six months she married, this hard-hearted girl
But it was not a Wi-count, and it was not a Nearl
It was not a Baronite, but a shade or two wuss
It was a bow-legged conductor of a tuppenny bus
I have just produced a book of songs under the title \"50 Songs from the 'threelegsoman' collection\". It is available as a printed book or as an eBook and can be found at:
