'Sally Garden' and a certain poem

Subject: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: GUEST,Dan Evergreen
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 11:36 AM

Singing the first verse of "Sally Garden" I was reminded of the poem, "When I Was One and Twenty." The sentiment is much the same. Then, just fooling around, I started singing the poem to the tune of the song, and they matched. Any connection here?

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Catrin
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 11:49 AM

I gather from discussion with knowledgeable friends that Yates was 'inspired' to write Sally gardens from a verse in the 'Rambling Boys of Pleasure' (words and tune in the DT)........

It was down by Sally Gardens one evening late I took my way
'Twas there I spied this pretty little girl, and these words to me she did say.
She advised me to take love easy, as the leaves grown on the tree
But as I was young and foolish, with my darling could not agree

Sound familiar?

Catrin

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Brendy
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 12:14 PM

Yates' Sally Gardens. The poem he was 'inspired by, according to that link, was a poem by A.E. Houseman called When I was one and twenty

B.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Robby
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 02:01 PM

Tommy Makem does a lovel version of Yeats' "Down by the Salley Garden", with the poem "When I was one and twenty" recited between the first and second verses of the song. The "salley" garden in the song is a grove of willow trees.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: GUEST,Luther
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 02:41 PM

In the Planxty version of "Rambling Boys", Andy Irvine sings "she bade me take love easy just as the leaves fall from the tree" Which almost out-Yeatses Yeats, "falls" instead of "grows" is just that much more bittersweet. That's a really exquisite version, anyone who hasn't heard it is in for a real treat. Haven't heard the Tommy Makem version, I'll have to track it down. Always wondered what a "salley garden" was.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Jacob B
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 04:54 PM

I believe a salley garden would be a garden intended for walking (salleying) in, with or without willow trees.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 05:13 PM

The "sally" or "salley" refers to willow. It's related to the technical terms for Aspirin, which is salicylic acid, which is chemically present in willows. Folk or herbal medicine used willow tea as a pain reliever.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Jacob B
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:15 PM

That makes sense. I assumed it was related to the sally ports on old forts, used for sallys against the besiegers. Thanks for the correction.

Jacob

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:22 PM

Previous threads discussing this song are to be found here and here

Noreen

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: hesperis
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 07:05 PM

The 'sally' or 'salley' that the song refers to come from one of the celtic languages word for 'willow', which is 'saille'. (And it's pronounced like 'sally'.)
I gave that book back to my friend, so I don't know which celtic language it is.
The latin name for willow is 'salix'. That is why Aspirin is 'salicylic' acid.
Aside from that, Dave Oesterreich is right.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Brendy
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 08:03 PM

I think Máire, from Clannad, sings the definitive version of this song.
The 'Clannad in Concert' album, recorded during a tour of Switzerland, in 1978 includes their version. The 4 second silence between the end of the last note, and the beginning of the applause sums it up for me, really.

B.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 08:23 PM

Thanx to whoever for the link to A. E. Housman's "When I was One-and-Twenty". Housman is my favorite poet, and I've loved this poem for a long time. I decided it would make a fine song, and I created a tune. Sang it for the HearMe crowd this afternoon, and well received.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Callie
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 08:30 PM

I believe Yeats was inspired to write the poem after Maud Gonne rejected his love, as she did throughout her life. Most of his unrequited love poems will have a hint of Maud in them (often referred to as Helen of Troy for instance).

A Literature lecturer at University told us that HIS University lecturer interviewed Maud Gonne just before she died. He asked her if she regretted not giving in to WB. In response, she took a book from a shelf and read his poem "When you are old and full of sleep".

Callie

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Jimmy C
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 10:05 PM

Hespeus - you are right - The word sally is from the Gaelic " Saileach' = willow.( Ulster). A Sally Wattle is a branch of a thorn hedge with the thorns removed, I was often threatened with a few swipes of a " Sally Rod" when I misbehaved as a child. Which was quite often, my father being a softie meant I never felt the sting of one, just the threat. My ilaws have a house in Co Tyrone called "Sally Garden"

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: hesperis
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 10:35 PM

Jimmy C - thanks. I sit corrected.

hesperis

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 02:48 PM

See "Sally's Garden" = "The prentice boy" on the Bodley Ballads website (1st half of 19th century). There are many copies of "The Rambling Boys of Pleasure" there, also.

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Irish Rover
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 03:05 PM

if you like sally garden try Yeat's O'DRISCOL also an old song changed to a poem

Subject: RE: 'Sally Garden' and a certain poem
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 11:46 AM

And I thought this was going to be about that Kurt Vonnegut one, where the old guy is sitting thinking and occasionally claps three times. MUCH later in the book you read:

Sally in the garden
Sifting cinders
Lifted up her leg
And farted like a man.
The bursting of her bloomers
Broke sixteen winders;
The cheeks of her ass went
(clap)(clap)(clap).