Sally, Go Round the Roses
Sally's Secret Garden: Unraveling the Symbolism in 'Sally, Go Round the Roses'
Lyrics
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the roses)
Sally is symbolically moving around roses.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the pretty roses)
Repetition emphasizing Sally's circular movement around roses.
Roses they can't hurt you (roses they can't hurt you)
Emphasizes the harmlessness of roses.
Roses they can't hurt you (no, the roses they can't hurt you)
Reiteration that roses cannot cause harm.
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Advising Sally not to go downtown.
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Repetition of the warning against going downtown.
Saddest thing in the whole wide world
Expressing the sorrow of seeing one's partner with someone else.
Is to see your baby with another girl
Highlighting the emotional pain of seeing one's baby with another girl.
Don't you go downtown (Sally go 'round)
Reiterating the advice for Sally to avoid going downtown.
No, don't you go downtown ('round and 'round)
Repetition of the warning not to go downtown.
Yes, because the saddest thing in the whole wide world
Reiteration of the sadness caused by a partner's infidelity.
Is to see your baby with another girl
Restating the emotional impact of seeing a partner with another person.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the roses)
Repeating Sally's circular movement around roses.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the pretty roses)
Emphasizing the aesthetic quality of the roses Sally is circling.
They won't tell your secret (they won't tell your secret)
Asserting that roses will keep secrets.
They won't tell your secret (no, the roses won't tell your secret)
Reiteration that roses are trustworthy secret keepers.
Sally baby cry, let your hair hang down
Encouraging Sally to express her sadness by crying.
Sally baby cry, let your hair hang down
Repetition of the encouragement for Sally to cry.
Sit and cry where the roses grow
Suggesting a private place (where roses grow) for Sally to cry.
You can sit and cry, not a soul will know
Ensuring that Sally's tears will remain a secret.
Let your hair hang down (Sally go 'round)
Encouraging Sally to let her hair down, possibly a symbol of emotional release.
Yes, let your hair hang down, yeah ('round and 'round)
Repetition of the encouragement to let her hair down.
Because the saddest thing in the whole wide world
Reiteration of the sadness caused by a partner's infidelity.
Is to see your baby with another girl
Reaffirming the emotional impact of seeing a partner with someone else.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the roses)
Repeating Sally's circular movement around roses.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the pretty roses)
Emphasizing the aesthetic quality of the roses Sally is circling.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the roses)
Repeating Sally's circular movement around roses.
Sally go 'round the roses (Sally go 'round the roses)
Emphasizing the aesthetic quality of the roses Sally is circling.
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