Nevermind album cover

Nirvana – Polly Lyrics

Rock

Polly wants a cracker
I think I should get off her first
I think she wants some water

Ian, you're gonna have to tone down my vocals just a little bit on this song
Do you have a light?
No, wait, I think I know
Don't forget to mark it
Yeah, thanks
Put on
Ok
Don't forget to mark it on your list
What are these cameras at?

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

It isn't me
We have a seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings

Let me take a ride
Don't hurt yourself
I want some help
To help myself

I've got some rope
You have been told
I promise you
I have been true

Let me take a ride
Don't hurt yourself
I want some help
To help myself

Hey, Ian, can I have more vocals on my monitor?

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

It isn't me
We have a seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings

Let me take a ride
Don't hurt yourself
I want some help
To help myself

I've got some rope
You have been told
I promise you
I have been true

Let me take a ride
Don't hurt yourself
I want some help
To help myself

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

It isn't me
We have a seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings

Let me take a ride
Don't hurt yourself
I want some help
To help myself

I've got some rope
You have been told
I promise you
I have been true

Let me take a ride
Don't hurt yourself
I want some help
To help myself

Scott, should we do Dumb now?
Yeah
(John)
Scott, how out of tune is my vocal?
(Where's John?)
No more than normal
Meaning what?
It's fine
Swear to God?
Swear to God

About This Song

"Polly" is a haunting and deeply disturbing song that tells the story of a kidnapping and assault from the perspective of the perpetrator, inspired by an actual crime Kurt Cobain read about in a newspaper. The lyrics use seemingly innocent imagery like a pet bird wanting a cracker to mask the horrific reality of sexual violence and captivity, creating a chilling contrast between the mundane surface and the brutal underlying narrative. Musically, the song features a sparse, acoustic arrangement that strips away Nirvana's typical heavy sound, making the dark subject matter even more unsettling through its deceptively gentle delivery. The track stands as one of Nirvana's most controversial and psychologically complex works, demonstrating Cobain's ability to explore society's darkest corners while raising uncomfortable questions about violence and victimization. Its inclusion on *Nevermind* showed the band's willingness to tackle difficult subject matter even as they achieved mainstream success.

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