Nelly Bly

This song was published in 1850 and it became an immediate hit, selling nearly thirty thousand copies in its first seven years. It even became a favorite throughout the world. Background music is in the key of C

Women's T-Shirt with harmonica logo

 5  -5  6    5  -5  6     
Nel-ly Bly! Nel-ly Bly!

  5   -5   6  -6  -4
bring de broom a-long

 -5     5   -5   6   6   -6    -7   7
We'll sweet de kitch-en clean, my dear,

 7  -7  7 -8  -7    7
and hab a lit-tle song.

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Poke de wood, my la-dy lub,

 6    5  -5 6 -6   -4
and make de fi-re burn

-5    5  -5   6   6 -6  -7   7
And while I take de ban-jo down,

  7  -7   7  -8  7  -8
Just gib de mush a turn

chorus

  8     7  7    7  -6  -6  
Heigh! Nel-ly, Ho! Nel-ly,

 6   5    5    4 -4
lis-ten, lub, to me.

-5     5  -5   6    -6  -7   7   
I'll sing for you, play for you,

7 -7   7  -8 -7  7
a dul-cem mel-o-dy.

  8    -8  7   -8   7  -6  
Heigh! Nel-ly, Ho! Nel-ly,

 6   5   -4    4 -4
lis-ten, lub, to me.

 -5    5  -5   6    -6  -7   7   
I'll sing for you, play for you,

7 -7   7  -8 -7  7
a dul-cem mel-o-dy.

verse 2
Nelly Bly hab a voice like de turtle dove,
I hears it in de meadow and I hears it in de grove.
Nelly Bly she hab a heart as warm as cup of tea,
And bigger dan de sweet potato down in Tennessee.