Sally, you opened out your arms to all those young men
And girl you had room for every one of them
You're the only girl on Barry and Third
Sure as hell you're the only one who cared
So put your hands together for Sally
She saved all those young men
Put your hands together for Sally
She's the one who cared for them
She's doing our dirty work
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day in New York
Take a look at Dave he was once seventeen
Zoot suit and shinny shoes, he ran around town
And threw his metholated laughter
Most of his memories drowned
But he remembers what his mommy used to shout
She used to shout, one day surely son
The streets are gonna tire you out
So put your hands together for Sally
She's the one who cared for him
Put your hands together for Sally
She was there when his luck was running thin
She's doing our dirty work
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day in New York
Tommy had a wife and family
But the needle came between the love and the hard times
Thank God for Sally, she was there through the misery
Just a place to lay his head, just about better off than dead
She's doing our dirty work
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day
Vince came up from the country
Couldn't even find himself a room
Thinking about his babies
That's further away than the moon
With no money but his pride in his pocket
There's really no way he can go home
There's a picture of his woman in his locket
Most of all he doesn't want to be alone
Put your hands together for Sally
She's the one who cared for him
Put your hands together for Sally
She was there when his luck was running thin
She's doing our dirty work
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day in New York
And girl you had room for every one of them
You're the only girl on Barry and Third
Sure as hell you're the only one who cared
She saved all those young men
Put your hands together for Sally
She's the one who cared for them
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day in New York
Zoot suit and shinny shoes, he ran around town
And threw his metholated laughter
Most of his memories drowned
She used to shout, one day surely son
The streets are gonna tire you out
She's the one who cared for him
Put your hands together for Sally
She was there when his luck was running thin
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day in New York
But the needle came between the love and the hard times
Thank God for Sally, she was there through the misery
Just a place to lay his head, just about better off than dead
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day
Couldn't even find himself a room
Thinking about his babies
That's further away than the moon
There's really no way he can go home
There's a picture of his woman in his locket
Most of all he doesn't want to be alone
She's the one who cared for him
Put your hands together for Sally
She was there when his luck was running thin
She's the only one who cares
Doing our dirty work
Thirsty world, one angry day in New York
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I came to this site looking for opinions on this specific song by Sade - and it's the only one of hers that has zero opinions so far.
I find it interesting that she chose the name 'Sally' - an appropriate name for a lady of easy virtue, but also the nickname of the Salvation Army. So you can read the song two ways - as a paean to a heart of gold, or as praise for all those who take light into dark places.
Interesting.
That's a very interesting point about the "Sally" Army but I don't think they do "dirty work". If had been an organisation it would have been "they're" not "she". To me this is the other half of Paul Simon's the Boxer - "I felt so lonely I took some comfort there". Misery loves company eh?
That's a very interesting point about the "Sally" Army but I don't think they do "dirty work". If had been an organisation it would have been "they're" not "she". To me this is the other half of Paul Simon's the Boxer - "I felt so lonely I took some comfort there". Misery loves company eh?
You are correct, the song is referring to the salvation army otherwise known as "Sally Anne". The idea materialized when Sade saw a salvation army truck in New York according to Spin magazine. Robin Millar also confirmed this.
The lyrics require a little thinking as it seems to be about a woman, when infact it is about a collective entity completing the selfless task of taking care of those who have been abandoned. Wonderfully written.
Drummer Paul Cooke was from a Salvationist family, and the song is a tribute to their work with those down on their luck - 'Doing our dirty work'.