Status

Nirvana Song

Song Author

Kurt Cobain

Dave Grohl

Krist Novoselic

Writing Period

1988

Recording Session(s)

April '90 - Smart Studio, Madison WI. {prod by Butch Vig} "Nevermind Demos"

May to June 1991 - Sound City, Van Nuys CA {prod by Butch Vig}

October 26, 1989 - Maide Vaile Studios, London "John Peel Session"

November 1991 - BBC Studios, London "Mark Goodier Session"

(Television) January 10, 1992 - MTV Studios, NYC

(Television) November 18, 1993 - Sony Studios NYC "MTV Unplugged"

1987/1988 - 4 track demos

Notes

A setlist in Come As You Are list a song called "Cracker". This is believed to be an early version of "Polly" that's a lot slower than the more known Nevermind version. The setlist also features the titles "Sad" and "Seed". Kurt labelled these 3 songs as 'mellow, 4-track shit'. So far there has been no real proof that "Cracker" is actually the early "Polly" version, but it seems reasonable.

On Incesticide the song is found as "(New wave) Polly" - this version is a lot quicker than the original.

Kurt is credited with writing "Polly" on Nevermind while Krist and Dave are credited with helping on Incesticide.

The lyrics are based on a true story from 1987. It's about a 14 year old girl who was abducted by a man and driven around in his van. The man then tortured and raped her. The only chance she had of escaping was to pretend to come on to him and persuade him to untie her. 'That's what she did, and she got away. Can you imagine how much strength that took?'.

The MTV Unplugged version features Lori Goldston on cello.

Availability

Releases in the Bootography

Alternate/Working Titles

(New Wave) Polly

Cracker

Common Mislabels

Final Flight

Hollywood Smokes

Mislabels in the Bootography

Pool

Punk Rock Polly

Lyrics

"Nevermind" version

Polly wants a cracker
Think I should get off of her first
I think she wants some water
To put out the blow torch

Isn't me
Have a seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings
Let me take a ride
Cut yourself
Want some help
To please myself
Got some rope
You have been told
Promise you
Have been true
Let me take a ride
Don't cut yourself
I want some help
To please myself

Polly wants a cracker
Maybe she would like some food
She asks me to untie her
A chase would be nice for a few

Isn't me
Have a seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings
Let me take a ride
Cut yourself
Want some help
To please myself
I got some rope
You have been told
Promise you
Have been true
Let me take a ride
Don't cut yourself
I want some help
To please myself

Polly says her back hurts
She's just as bored as me
She caught me off my guard
It amazes me, the will of instinct

Isn't me
Have a seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings
Let me take a ride
Cut yourself
Want some help
To please myself
I got some rope
You have been told
Promise you
Have been true
Let me take a ride
Don't cut yourself
I want some help
To please myself




'88 Barnyard Session

Polly wants a cracker
She'd like me to get off her first
Maybe she wants some water
To put out the blow torch

Isn't me
We have some seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings
Let's take a ride
Don't cut yourself
Want some help
Please myself

Polly wants a cracker
Maybe she would like some food
She asked me to untie her
A chase would be nice for few

Isn't me
We have some seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings
Let me take a ride Cut yourself
Want some help
Please myself
Isn't me
Have some seed
Let me clip
Dirty wings
Take a ride
Cut yourself
Want some help
Please myself

Polly, polly said

Polly says her back hurts
She's just as bored as me
She caught me off my guard
It amazes me the will of instinct

Wasn't me
Have some seed
Let me clip
Dirty wings
Let's take a ride
Cut yourself
Want some help
Please myself
Got some rope
Need some rope
Promise you Have been true
It's up to me Up to me
It's up to mend Dirty wings
Want some my help Start to fade
Give you ride...