Slick is considered to be one of the most important musicians in bringing the 1960s psychedelic rock to mainstream appeal. She is known for her witty, influential, thought provoking lyrics. Former lover and bandmate Paul Kantner once half-jokingly compared Slick to Oscar Wilde in her impact on music and modern culture.
Slick's longevity in the music business helped her earn a rather unusual distinction: the oldest female vocalist on a Billboard Hot 100 chart topping single. "We Built This City" reached #1 on November 16, 1985, shortly after her 46th birthday. The previous record was age 44 for Tina Turner, with 1984's #1 smash, "What's Love Got To Do With It". Turner (who is, coincidentally, within a month of Slick's age) turned 45 two months after the song topped the charts. Slick broke her own record in April 1987 at age 47 when "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" topped the U.S. charts. Her record stood for 12 years but was ultimately broken by Cher, who was 53 in 1999 when "Believe" hit #1.
Slick did vocals for a piece known as Jazzy Spies, a series of animated shorts about the numbers 2 through 10 (a #1 short was never made), which aired on Sesame Street. The segment for the number two appeared in the first episode of the first season of Sesame Street, November 10, 1969.
She was nominated for a Grammy award in 1980 as Best Rock Female Vocalist for her solo album Dreams.
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 (as a member of Jefferson Airplane).
She was ranked #20 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.
Aside from singing, she also sometimes played piano, keyboards, oboe, and recorder for the bands.
Round & Round
Grace Slick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sally go round the roses
And all the roses they can hurt you
And all the roses they can hurt you
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Cause saddest thing in the whole wide world
See you baby with another girl
Sally go round the roses
And all the roses they can hurt you
And all the roses they can hurt you
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Cause saddest thing in the whole wide world
See you baby with another girl
......
The lyrics to "Sally Go 'Round The Roses" by Grace Slick & The Great Society, seem to be a warning to Sally about the dangers of love and relationships. The repeated line "Sally go round the roses" could refer to Sally's pursuit of love and romance, symbolized by the roses. The following line "And all the roses they can hurt you" suggests that love can bring pain and hurt, just as the thorns on a rose can prick and hurt.
The chorus then goes on to advise Sally not to go downtown because she might see her lover with someone else, and the saddest thing in the whole wide world would be to see her baby with another girl. This suggests that Sally may have already been hurt in love before and is being warned not to put herself in a situation where she may be hurt again. The refrain of "Sally go round the roses" reinforces the idea that Sally is caught in a cycle of pursuing love and getting hurt.
Overall, the lyrics seem to be a cautionary tale about the perils of love and the potential for heartbreak. The repeated refrain and warning to Sally not to go downtown create a haunting and melancholic atmosphere, suggesting that the pursuit of love can lead to pain and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Sally go round the roses
Engage in meaningless acts
And all the roses they can hurt you
The people who surround you can bring you down
Sally don't you go, don't you go downtown
Stay away from the 'bad' side of town
Cause saddest thing in the whole wide world
The worst thing is to see the one you love with someone else
See you baby with another girl
To see the one you love with someone else
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: Abner Spector, Lona Stevens, Zell Sanders
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay Clifford
on Darkly Smiling
i'd like to know what this song means