Bring Sally Up 🏛️ Bring Sally Down

Welcome to Blues Wednesday on Morning Open Thread. Today, we have a mashup of a centuries old children's song. Not just any children’s song, but one by and for slave children in the old South. The meaning is obscure to most people. The original lyrics varied, because songs by and for children are not static. This is an approximation of the original:

Sometimes it was “Bring Sally Up” and sometimes “Green Sally.” It went on to the next line, “Last one squat gotta tear the ground." That was accompanied by dance like antics, where “Sally" referred to the little girls. They jumped and then squatted in rhythm to the song. Tearing the ground meant the last one to squat had to scrabble in the dirt with their hands.

The line, "Last one squat gotta tear the ground", is similar to the more modern phrase, "Last one to do it is a rotten egg," sort of teasing. The implication being that the last one to squat had to help the adults in the field, although it was a playground tease and not a serious threat.

The song goes on, "Old miss Lucy's dead and gone, left me here to weep alone." That verse meant the slave owner (or his wife), is dead. In the original song that verse is followed with the call, "If you hate it fold your arms, if you love it clap your hands." Obviously the kids who clapped along to the rhythmic beat of the song were glad that Old Miss Lucy has died, and the ones who didn't were showing a measure of respect for her.

During slavery days in the old south, white and black children were not allowed to play together. Kids being kids, they were innovative. From different places in the yard or field, but within eyesight or earshot, both groups of children would sing and play together using Sally as the code name for all to play. Black and White were able to play the same games without being in a mixed group.

The iconoclastic singer, Moby, who is white, manages to capture the rhythm and feel of the old slave song. A creative group using video game graphics created a thousand-car race set to the Moby version of the song, which he has titled, Flower.

Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground

[Verse 1]
Old Miss Lucy's dead and gone
Left me here to weep and moan

[Refrain]
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground
Green Sally up, Green Sally down
Last done squat gotta tear the ground

#dysnomia #greek #mythology #goddess #anarchy #freedom #eris #moby