Long Tall Sally
26. The Beatles Lyrics
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He said he had the misery but he got a lot of fun
Oh baby, yeah now baby, woo baby
Some fun tonight
I saw uncle John with long tall Sally
He saw aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley
Oh baby, yeah now baby, woo baby
Well, long tall Sally's built pretty sweet
She got everything that uncle John needs
Oh baby, yeah now baby, woo baby
Some fun tonight
Well, we're gonna have some fun tonight
Have some fun tonight, oh
Everything's all right
Have some fun tonight
Have some fun, yeah, yeah, yeah
We're gonna have some fun tonight
Have some fun tonight
Everything's all right
Have some fun tonight
Yeah, we'll have some fun
Some fun tonight
In the Beatles's song Long Tall Sally, the lyrics tell the story of a man named Uncle John who is having an affair with a woman named Long Tall Sally. The singer, who could be anyone from the singer to an observer, goes to tell Aunt Mary about Uncle John's infidelity. Uncle John seems to be hedonistic, saying that he has "the misery" but "he got a lot of fun," implying that he may be unhappy in his marriage but finds excitement in his affair with Long Tall Sally. When Uncle John and Long Tall Sally are caught by Aunt Mary, they run away, implying that the affair is secretive and taboo.
The lyrics of the song also describe Long Tall Sally as being "built pretty sweet", having everything that Uncle John needs. This description of a woman's physical attributes is typical of rock and roll songs from the 1950s, emphasizing the male gaze and objectifying women. Overall, the song has a fast-paced, upbeat, and energetic tempo, mirroring the exciting and thrilling atmosphere of a secret affair.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna tell aunt Mary 'bout uncle John
I am going to tell aunt Mary about her husband, uncle John
He said he had the misery but he got a lot of fun
He claimed to be unhappy, but he was actually having a great time
Oh baby, yeah now baby, woo baby
Some fun tonight
We are going to have a lot of fun tonight
I saw uncle John with long tall Sally
I saw uncle John with a woman named long tall Sally
He saw aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley
When he saw aunt Mary approaching, he quickly hid in the alley
Well, long tall Sally's built pretty sweet
She got everything that uncle John needs
Oh baby, yeah now baby, woo baby
Some fun tonight
Long tall Sally is attractive and has everything that uncle John desires, which means that we are going to have a great time tonight
Well, we're gonna have some fun tonight
Have some fun tonight, oh
Everything's all right
Have some fun tonight
We are going to have a good time tonight and everything will be fine
Have some fun, yeah, yeah, yeah
We're gonna have some fun tonight
Have some fun tonight
Everything's all right
Have some fun tonight
Yeah, we'll have some fun
Some fun tonight
Let's have fun, we are going to have a great time tonight and everything will be fine
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Entoris Johnson, Richard Penniman, Robert Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind