Sally Free and Easy
Owen Hand Lyrics


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Sally, free and easy,
That should be her name.
Sally, free and easy,
That should be her name.
Took a sailor's lovin'
For a nursery game.
Oh, the heart she gave him
Was not made of stone.
Oh, the heart she gave him
Was not made of stone.
It was sweet and hollow
Like a honeycomb.
Think I'll wait till morning,
See the ensign down.
Think I'll wait till sunrise,
See the ensign down.
See my coffin coming,
To my burial groun'.
Sally, free and easy,
That should be her name.
Sally, free and easy,
That should be her name.




Took a sailor's lovin',
For a nursery game.

Overall Meaning

The folksong "Sally Free and Easy" tells the story of a woman who goes by the name of Sally who engages in a romantic relationship with a sailor. The song starts off with the chorus declaring that Sally's name should be "free and easy," which could mean she is wild and unattached or perhaps carefree and unencumbered. The next line sets the tone for the rest of the song as it reveals that Sally took the sailor's love for a "nursery game." This phrase is intriguing because it suggests that Sally may not have taken the relationship seriously or that she was perhaps teasing or playing with the sailor's affections.


The verses go on to describe Sally's heart, which is said to not be made of stone but instead "sweet and hollow, like a honeycomb." This line could represent Sally's emotional depth or lack thereof. The song then turns darker as the singer declares he will wait until morning to see "the ensign down" which could mean a ship returning, or the end of the day, or perhaps even a signal of surrender. The final line of the song references the singer's death and the arrival of his coffin to his burial ground. The song leaves the listener with more questions than answers about Sally and her relationship with the sailor.


Line by Line Meaning

Sally, free and easy,
The woman named Sally is carefree and has a casual attitude towards love and relationships.


That should be her name.
Her personality is perfectly embodied by her name.


Took a sailor's lovin'
She accepted a sailor's affections.


For a nursery game.
She treated it as a childlike game or trivial activity.


Oh, the heart she gave him
The emotions she felt towards the sailor were heartfelt and genuine.


Was not made of stone.
She was not emotionless or unfeeling.


It was sweet and hollow
Her love was attractive and alluring, but ultimately empty and insubstantial.


Like a honeycomb.
Her heart was complex and intricate like a beehive's honeycomb structure.


Think I'll wait till morning,
The artist plans to delay acting on a decision or plan until the next day.


See the ensign down.
They will look for a signal, possibly a flag being lowered, to indicate a change in situation.


See my coffin coming,
The singer anticipates their own death and the arrival of their coffin.


To my burial groun'.
They will be taken to their final resting place.




Writer(s): Cyril Tawney

Contributed by Sadie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Andrew Scappaticcio

Great song , Great Voice  , a tear in my eye as I recall the many goodtimes we spent together . Still missed by his many friends . His voice got even better , with time , deeper and more expressive . He would make me sing with him .. I am a lousy vocalist , he would sing in descant and by some miracle ... I sounded great ! .  That takes talent .

Jacqueline Tracey

This is my moms dad, my grandad. As I’m listening to my favourite song of his and reading the comments, I can’t help but not comment. Thank you for remembering him. Such an amazing man, with a voice of an angel. My mum, OH’s daughter,

Jacqueline Tracey

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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