From the Japanese musical play “The Geisha”, 1896. words by Harry Greenbank music by Sidney Jones
Sheet Music
Accompaniment
Lyrics
Polly winked his eye and Polly gave a sigh
And Polly took his best hat down
He called on Mrs. C. and took a cup of tea
When Mr. C. had gone to town
Then wisely wagged his head and seriously said
“Well, husbands are a lot, a pretty one you’ve got
Such tales I never heard, so dissolute a bird
I never met before, what goings on! oh, Lor”
Polly wink’d his eye and Polly gave a sigh
And Polly took his best hat down
He knew there’d be a fuss, so jumping on a bus
He called on Mister C. in town
Then wisely wagged his head and seriously said
“A pretty wife you’ve got, I see you’ve had it hot
And, bless her heart, it’s true she’s just as bad as you
Directly you are gone, oh, don’t she carry on”
Polly wink’d his eye and Polly gave a sigh
And Polly bought a special Sun
He read the full report of what occurr’d in Court
And chuckled at the mischief done
Then going off to bed, contentedly he said
“Thank goodness that’s all right, I’ll get some sleep tonight
A thing I cannot do when lovers bill and coo
They won’t annoy a soul, poor Polly! scratch a poll”
Polly piped his eye, and Polly gave a sigh
And Polly used a naughty word
The monkey, when he’d done of feathers hardly one
Had left upon the bad old bird
He scratched his aching head and ruefully he said
“Oh, Sarah, ain’t it prime? I’ve had a beastly time
Poor Polly’s feeling bad, oh, what a day I’ve had
I’m sorry on the whole, poor Polly! scratch a poll”