‘Sally in Our Alley’: Poem by Henry Carey Honored on 300-year Anniversary

.

Sally in Our Alley

—written by Henry Carey (born Aug. 26) in 1725

Of all the girls that are so smart
_There’s none like pretty Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.
There is no lady in the land
_Is half so sweet as Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.

Her father he makes cabbage-nets
_And through the streets does cry ’em;
Her mother she sells laces long
_To such as please to buy ’em:
But sure such folks could ne’er beget
_So sweet a girl as Sally!
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.

When she is by, I leave my work,
_I love her so sincerely;
My master comes like any Turk,
_And bangs me most sincerely—
But let him bang his bellyful,
_I’ll bear it all for Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.

Of all the days that’s in the week
_I dearly love but one day—
And that’s the day that comes betwixt
_A Saturday and Monday;
For then I’m dressed all in my best
_To walk abroad with Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.

My master carries me to church,
_And often am I blamed
Because I leave him in the lurch
_As soon as text is named;
I leave the church in sermon-time
_And slink away to Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.

When Christmas comes about again
_O then I shall have money;
I’ll hoard it up, and box it all,
_I’ll give it to my honey:
I would it were ten thousand pound,
_I’d give it all to Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
_And she lives in our alley.

My master and the neighbours all
_Make game of me and Sally,
And but for her, I’d better be
_A slave and row a galley;
But when my seven long years are out
_O then I’ll marry Sally,—
O then we’ll wed, and then we’ll bed,
_But not in our alley!

.

Musical Interpretations in Honor of “Sally in Our Alley”:

.

Original song by Guntbert Markefka:

.

.