Is a humorous Western swing standard written by Fred Rose in 1946. In the song, Roly Poly is a very active boy who eats continuously to keep his strength up. Each verse ends with:
Roly Poly, daddy’s little fatty,
Bet he’s gonna be a man someday.
“Roly Poly” was first recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1946, staying on the charts for 18 weeks and reaching number three.
It has been recorded by many Western swing bands since. Notable renditions have been recorded by fellow Texans, country crooners Jim Reeves and Ray Price. Asleep at the Wheel featuring the Dixie Chicks covered the song in 2000. The version was not a single, but charted as an album cut peaking at number 65.
Fred Rose composed “Roly Poly” and Gene Autry, as well as Bob Wills, had hit records with it. Autry and Rose were good friends, and Fred and his wife, often were dinner guests at Gene’s house, along with Ray Whitley and Johnny Marvin and their wives. Later, Rose moved to Nashville and became an important figure in the music scene there, joining Roy Acuff in the establishment of Acuff-Rose, a major music publishing company. Along with Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams, Fred Rose (who also used the pseudonym, Floyd Jenkins) was one of the first inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Some Versions:
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys 1946
Sons of the Pioneers 1957
George Jones December 1962
Merle Haggard and The Strangers November 16, 1970
Byron Berline 1995
Asleep at the Wheel August 10, 1999
Kristyn Harris 2010
Swinging Hayriders 2012
Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys – Roly Poly Lyrics
Roly Poly, eatin’ corn and taters
Hungry every minute of the day
Roly poly, gnawin’ on a bisquit
Long as he can chew it it’s ok
He can eat an aple pie
And never bat an eye
He likes everything from soup to hay
Roly Poly, daddy’s little fatty
Bet he’s gonna be a man someday
Roly Poly, scrambled eggs for breakfast
Bread and jelly 20 times a day
Roly Poly, eats a hearty dinner
It takes lots of strength to run and play
Pulls up weeds and does the chores
Runs both ways top all the stores
He works up an appitite that way
Roly Poly, daddy’s little fatty
Bet he’s gonna be a man someday
 was one of the first inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame.Some Versions:Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys 1946Sons of the Pioneers 1957George Jones December 1962Merle Haggard and The Strangers November 16, 1970Byron Berline 1995Asleep at the Wheel August 10, 1999The Quebe Sisters Band September 25, 2007Kristyn Harris 2010Swinging Hayriders 2012){kind=link}