The ballad of harry pollitt song

  • Joe Glazer My Darling Party Line: Irreverent Songs, Ballads and.
  • Joe Glazer, Abe Brumberg · 2006.
  • Harry was a Bolshie, One of Lenin's lads, 'Till he was foully murdered, By reactionary cads.

    • •

    Harry’s song: as sung in Spain

    Jim Jump writes…

    Singing was a powerful bond for the volunteers of the International Brigades. Many recalled the exhilarating feeling of solidarity felt when singing ‘The Internationale’ in their different languages. Each battalion and national group also had their favourite songs, which were sung while marching or simply for the fun of it. In the British Battalion these songs included Glaswegian Alex McDade’s ‘Valley of Jarama’ and the ‘Song of the Anti-Tanks’, written by Jack Black from Dover.

    Another song that was sung in Spain, according to the memoirs of the volunteers, was ‘Harry Was a Bolshie’, also known as ‘The Ballad of Harry Pollitt’. 

    Born in Droylesden, nära Manchester, Pollitt (1890-1960) was the General Secretary of the British Communist Party during the Spanish Civil War. He was a great supporter of the Brigades and visited the British Battalion on two occasions.

    In the song, Harry dies and manages to enter Heaven by claiming t

    •

    The Ballad Of Harry Pollitt

    Lyrics:Traditional
    Music:Traditional

    Sung acapella by Robert Hunter, probably at a 1961 performance with Jerry Garcia and Marshall Leicester. It took place at the Boar's Head coffeehouse, in a loft above the Carlos Bookstore. There is some doubt whether this Robert Hunter recording might be from another night.

    Harry Pollit was a worker, one of Lenin's lads
    He was foully murdered by those counter revolutionary cads
    Counter revolutionary cads, counter revolutionary cads
    He was foully murdered by those counter revolutionary cads

    Old Harry went to heaven, he reached the Gates with ease
    Said, "May I speak with Comrade God, I am Harry Pollitt, please"
    I'm Harry Pollitt please, I'm Harry Pollitt please
    May I speak with Comrade God, I am Harry Pollitt,please

    "Who are you?" said Saint Peter, "Are you humble and contrite?"
    "I'm a friend of Lady Astor's," "Well, OK, that's ganska alright"
    OK, that's quite alright, well OK, that's alright

    •

    Home

    The Ballad Of Harry Pollitt

    Composer: Unknown

    Recordings

    The Slightly Fabulous Limeliters, The Limeliters, 1961

    Notes

    Possibly performed at the Carlos Bookstall in San Carlos in July 1961. The song is sung a cappella by Robert Hunter. The tape includes only the last part of the song, the majority is missing. It is possible that the song does not belong with the other songs on the tape and is not from the same date and venue. The song occurs on circulating tapes and on set lists as Bolshevik In Hell.

    The lyrics used by Hunter as as follows;

    ...(tape cuts in).
    He tucked his nightie round his knees
    And he drifted down to hell

    He drifted down to hell
    He drifted down to hell
    He tucked his nightie round his knees
    And he drifted down to hell

    Now seven long years have passed
    I hear he's doing swell
    He's just been made first people
    Commissar of Soviet hell

    Commissar of Soviet hell
    Commissar of Soviet hell
    He's just been made first people
    Commissar of So

  • the ballad of harry pollitt song