Stivell was born in the Auvergnat town of Riom, France, and specialises in traditional Breton and Celtic music. He also plays instruments such as the bombarde, biniou, flute, etc.
A defining album is "Renaissance of the Celtic Harp" released in 1971 (and including the legendary Dan Ar Bras on guitar). The force of his live performances can be experienced through the album "A l'Olympia" released in 1972.
His official Web site is www.alan-stivell.com.
Sally Free and Easy
Alan Stivell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That should be her name,
Sally, free and easy,
That should be her name,
Took a sailor's lovin',
For a nursery game.
Though the heart she gave me,
It was sweet and hollow,
Like a honey comb,
Think I'll wait till sunset,
See the ensign down,(2X)
Then I'll take the tideway,
To my buryin' groun',
Sally, free and easy,
That should be her name,(2X)
When my body's landed,
Hope she dies of shame.
The song Sally Free And Easy by Alan Stivell is a lament about a woman who goes by the name Sally, who is promiscuous and takes advantage of the love of a sailor for her own game. The lyrics suggest that Sally is not a woman to be trusted, as she uses the love of men only for her own pleasure. She is called "free and easy", which implies that she does not value commitment or loyalty.
The singer of the song has fallen for Sally and has given her his heart, but he knows that she does not reciprocate his feelings. He describes her heart as "sweet and hollow, like a honey comb", which suggests that she is sugary and sweet on the surface but lacks depth and substance. The singer is resigned to his fate and plans to wait until sunset to set sail on the tideway to his "buryin' groun'" - implying that he has given up on life and is ready to die.
The closing verse of the song turns bitter as the singer desires that Sally feels shame upon his death. This verse depicts the singer's anger and resentment toward Sally, who has led him on and broken his heart.
Overall, the song tells a tragic story of unrequited love, betrayal, and bitterness - themes that are universal and timeless.
Line by Line Meaning
Sally, free and easy,
This woman Sally embodies a sense of carefree liberation, one that is free from burdens and limitations.
That should be her name,
Her name would serve as the perfect representation of her unbridled spirit.
Took a sailor's lovin',
She took love from a sailor, perhaps not for earnest reasons, but merely for the sake of child's play.
For a nursery game.
In other words, Sally used the sailor for her own amusement and entertainment.
Though the heart she gave me,
Sally provided affection to the singer, maybe even genuine emotion, although it wasn't the real deal.
Was not made of stone,
She wasn't entirely callous or emotionless in her actions, there was still a sense of softness and tenderness beneath her exterior.
It was sweet and hollow,
Her love, while sweet, was empty and lacked sincerity, like a honeycomb that's lost its honey.
Think I'll wait till sunset,
The artist wants to wait until the time of day where the sun is near its descent before he proceeds with his plan.
See the ensign down,
He wants to observe the moment at which the flag is lowered, perhaps as a symbol of completion or closure.
Then I'll take the tideway,
The artist plans to take the tidal stream, perhaps a representation of a force beyond his control or a journey down a particular path.
To my buryin' groun',
He intends to make his way towards his final resting place, in preparation for the end of his life.
When my body's landed,
After he has passed away and his physical body has been interred.
Hope she dies of shame.
The singer is expressing his wish that Sally feels great remorse and guilt over what she's done to him.
Contributed by Miles S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zedwoman
I had this in vinyl in the 1970s and now I have it on CD. Have loved it all these years. Magic.
monique cavard
moi aussi j'ai ce disque vinyl...j'adore..
Kay Prout
me too x
Yasumura Yokoyama
This beautiful music and performance miraculously crystallizes the serenity of twilight and dusk around the sunset.
Rasili O'Connor
I would buy this album, 'Reflets' right now if it were available on iTunes. So, so beautiful.
Patrick Breizh
Hello Rasili, thank you for your message, the album "Reflets" by Alan Stivell must be still available. Otherwise, you can listen to the 10 songs from the album on my channel. Good research and good listening. Patrick
Patrick Le Meur
avec la harpe tous simplement!! pas mal de réverbe !!c'est très pur !!moi j'entends la mer !!
Henry Robert Walker
Very beautiful!
Kay Prout
beautiful
Bampi Bill, Aka Roger Coghill
Why has this track been made not available?