Polly Wolly Doodle

Polly Wolly Doodle is a 19th-century American song that first circulated in the minstrel stage tradition and later moved into the broader American folk repertoire. Like many songs from that period, it passed easily from theater to parlor singing, then into camp and community traditions where it survived long after its original performance setting faded. During the twentieth-century folk revival the song was recorded by performers such as Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, and The Weavers, and it later appeared in the repertoire of singers including Leon Redbone, whose relaxed ragtime-influenced version helped bring the tune back into circulation for modern audiences. Redbone’s approach was one of the interpretations I had in mind while shaping this arrangement. My version is performed simply with voice and acoustic guitar, in keeping with the song’s long life in informal folk settings. Song: Polly Wolly Doodle Origin: American traditional, 19th century Performance: Jason Paul – voice & acoustic guitar