Polly On The Shore

She was used, she was abused, she never knew she was a victim

A 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

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 Sailortown began her education

But Polly knew the only way to win was fighting back

She learned the ropes and fleeced the dopes and dreamed above her station

She kept half of everything she ever stole from Jack

When the crimp said her ma was dead she wished she could have cried

As rumours of a drunken murder spread to Sailortown

But pa went free with drunken glee so Polly had him Shangai'd

He woke up on a hellship Yokohama bound

Now Polly dines on finest wines she is quite the lady

And she owns almost everything in dirty Sailortown

And Polly hires and Polly fires and Polly says what may be

But maybe Polly can't forget enough to settle down