Lyrics for Sally's Pigeons as interpreted by xJoeBoothx

Sally's Pigeons Lyrics
When I was eight I had a friend
with a pirate smile
make believe and play pretend
we were innocent and wild
hopped a fence and slammed the gate
running down my alleyway
in time to watch Sally's pigeons fly

We loved to watch them dive and soar
circle in the sky
free as a bird from three to four
and never knowing why
neighbors pulled their wash back in
put away my Barbie and Ken
look out overhead
while Sally's pigeons fly

I had a fool's confidence
that the world had no boundaries
but instincts and common sense
come in different quantities

my heart began to
skip to the beat
of the boy next door
she had her eye across the street
on someone shy and tall
we lived our dreams
and challenged fate
in tears she told me she was late
and Sally let his pigeons out to fly...

On the dresser sits a frame
with a photograph
two little girls in ponytails
some twenty one years back
she left one night with just a nod
was lost from some back alley job
I close my eyes and Sally's pigeons fly
she never saw those birds again
and me, I can't remember when
a pirate smile hasn't made me cry
I close my eyes
and Sally's pigeons fly...

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Online
06-10-2004

Rated 0 
A beautifull and very underated song about a childhood freindship. Growing up and growing apart. The song was co written with Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Some lines make me wonder what they are alluding to.

"In tears she told me she was late" (I wonder if this refers to her period being late ie she is pregant? Possibly to the "Someone shy and tall" boy?)

"Was lost from some back alley job" (Did she become a prostitute or was this just some horrible job?)

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Pixxie
11-21-2004

Rated 0 
such a good song!!! i love itt

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knarff
08-18-2005

Rated 0 
i agree about the pregancy thing bein "late" and at the end of that verse "sally let HIS pigeons out to fly" mayb she had the baby and i also thought the back alley job was about prostitution i thought i was readin way to much into ...neway its a beautiful song ...brings back memories...

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Sapir
09-27-2005

Rated 0 
I think that "lost to some back alley job" refers to a back-street abortion (a dangerous and illegal abortion performed by someone who doesn't know what they're doing). I think that her friend being "lost" to the abortion means that the abortion went wrong and her friend died as a result of infection or what not... as used to happen before abortions became legal. It's such a sad song, but so touching as well.

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cherryb
12-20-2005

Rated 0 
I agree, it's about her friend having a back street abortion.

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Lormac22
01-20-2006

Rated 0 
I also believe that it's about a back alley abortion also. Such a beautiful and sad song.

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__Scarlet
03-28-2006

Rated 0 
This song is definately about a back street abortion it so meaningful and is one of my all time favourites. Cyndi Lauper is such an amazing artist and all of her work is so under-rated. This song never ceases to make me cry anytime I hear it. A brilliant classic.

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Provanity
02-17-2007

Rated 0 
Cyndi comes from a jewish background and Sally, is a boy. Not the friend with a pirate smile.

The song is about a strong friendship between two young girls who always rush out to watch this boys pidgeons flying.. And one day, her friend falls for a boy across the street [Someone shy and tall] and weeks later she tells Cyndi that she's late - her period.

The back alley job, I think, refers to the back street abortion. At the time the song is set, abortion was illegal. Cyndis friend dies after it.

"she left one night with just a nod
was lost from some back alley job"

she left one night after telling Cyndi she was going for an abortion and she was never seen again. I figure she died.

pretty sad all in all.

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untoldsarcasm
05-25-2007

Rated 0 
Cyndi doesn't come from a Jewish background... she come's from a Catholic background. She has said "I'm a recovering Catholic" in the past

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Tal-taL
02-27-2008

Rated 0 
this song, is so very beautiful, and i can feel her smiling through tears. "She never saw those birds again and me I can't remember when a pirate smile, hsnt made me cry"....the swooning manner in which she sings this song is has an almost 8 yr old lilt to it and I allways break into tears at "two little girls in pony tails some twenty one years back". I can almost hear the gasp in her voice when she sais twenty-one cu it was in fact long ago and in the past.

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Cornflakez
04-22-2008

Rated 0 
This song is indeed about a girl she used to know who died of an unsafe abortion.

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Ceceftw
07-11-2008

Rated 0 
This song is about her childhood and how they grew up together and then they become interested in boys and stuff, her friend gets prego and then bing bang boom, she has to leave home because she's pregnant

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glendagdwtch
09-13-2008

Rated 0 
After listening to it a few times I figured it was a song about losing a friend to a back alley abortion. But what has always puzzled me is why Sally's pigeons were released from 3-4. Any ideas?

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