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According to some accounts, the song is autobiographical and is based on the exploits at a bar Shane's uncle owned in Dagenham (East London). Sally may have a double meaning for a brand of Stout of a similar name and a woman.
Sally MacLennane
by Shane MacGowan
Intro
[G] [D] [A] [D]
Well [D] Jimmy played harmonica in the [G] pub where I was [D] born
He [D] played it from the night-time to the [G] peaceful early [A] morn
He [G] soothed the souls of psychos and the [D] men who had the [A] horn
and they [D] all looked very [G] happy in the [A] morn- [D] ing
Now Jimmy didn’t like his place in this world of ours
Where the elephant man broke strong men’s necks when he’d had too many powers
So sad to see the grieving of the people he was leaving
And he took the road from God knows in the morning
( Chorus
We [D] walked him to the [G] station in the [D] rain
We [D] kissed him as we [G] put him on the [A] train
And we [G]sang him a [D] song of times long [G] gone
though we [D] knew that we’d be [A]seeing him [D] again [A]
[D]Sad to say I must be on my way
so [G] buy me beer and [D] whiskey ‘cause I’m [A] going far away, Far Away!
I’d [D] like to think I’ll be returning when I can
to the [G] greatest little [D] boozer and to [A] Sally McLe- [D] nnane )
The years passed by the times had changed I grew to be a man
I learned to love the virtues of sweet Sally McLennane
I took the jeers and drank the beers and I crawled back home at dawn
And ended up a barman in the morning
I played the pump and took the hump and watered whiskey down
I talked of whores and horses to the men who drank the brown
I heard them say that Jimmy’s making money far away
Some people left for heaven without warning
Chorus
Intro
When Jimmy came back home he was surprised that they where gone
He asked me all the details of the train that they went on
Some people they are scared to croak but Jimmy drank until he choked
And took the road for heaven in the morning
Intro (2x)
[G] [D] [A] [D]
Well [D] Jimmy played harmonica in the [G] pub where I was [D] born
He [D] played it from the night-time to the [G] peaceful early [A] morn
He [G] soothed the souls of psychos and the [D] men who had the [A] horn
and they [D] all looked very [G] happy in the [A] morn- [D] ing
Now Jimmy didn’t like his place in this world of ours
Where the elephant man broke strong men’s necks when he’d had too many powers
So sad to see the grieving of the people he was leaving
And he took the road from God knows in the morning
( Chorus
We [D] walked him to the [G] station in the [D] rain
We [D] kissed him as we [G] put him on the [A] train
And we [G]sang him a [D] song of times long [G] gone
though we [D] knew that we’d be [A]seeing him [D] again [A]
[D]Sad to say I must be on my way
so [G] buy me beer and [D] whiskey ‘cause I’m [A] going far away, Far Away!
I’d [D] like to think I’ll be returning when I can
to the [G] greatest little [D] boozer and to [A] Sally McLe- [D] nnane )
The years passed by the times had changed I grew to be a man
I learned to love the virtues of sweet Sally McLennane
I took the jeers and drank the beers and I crawled back home at dawn
And ended up a barman in the morning
I played the pump and took the hump and watered whiskey down
I talked of whores and horses to the men who drank the brown
I heard them say that Jimmy’s making money far away
Some people left for heaven without warning
Chorus
Intro
When Jimmy came back home he was surprised that they where gone
He asked me all the details of the train that they went on
Some people they are scared to croak but Jimmy drank until he choked
And took the road for heaven in the morning
Intro (2x)