“Flower” is a remixed African-American folk song that consists of a modern instrumental arrangement and previously recorded vocals from Alan Lomax’s influential recordings of field songs. The lyrics are very straightforward and are not intended to contain a complex narrative or many layers of meaning. Instead, by repetition, they emphasize the harshness and monotony of the slave labor that inspired them.
The original performance (on the older recording) was done by Mattie Gardner, Mary Gardner, and Jesse Lee Pratcher. As mentioned, ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax recorded this performance, and the recording used on “Flower” was lifted from a compilation of such recordings called Sounds of the South. Interestingly, “Flower” has been heavily used for internet fitness challenges that emphasize the grit involved in each repetition of an exercise. It seems that the impression of harsh work in the original song managed to get through to modern audiences.
In this article, we’ll perform an analysis of these bluntly playful lyrics to discover their intended meaning. We’ll also take a look at the story behind the song and its underlying message which makes it somewhat universal. Without further ado, let’s get started!
“Flower” Lyrics Meaning
The most recognizable portion of the song is a simple set of lines. It is commonly misheard as saying “bring Sally up, bring Sally down,” but this isn’t actually the case. Instead, the lines are “green Sally up, green Sally down, last one squat gotta tear the ground.” These lines may seem difficult to understand at first, but this is only because they must be put into context.
“Green Sally Up,” the original children’s song, uses a “field holler” melody which is common in African-American folk music. It has a dance that accompanies it that involves squatting low and coming back up, hence the main lines. “Green Sallies” are little girls, who would’ve been the main participants in the dance.
The last piece of the puzzle is the part about the “last one” to squat. This is essentially a playful threat – the slowest one has to “tear the ground” as the loser. In other words, they’re assigned work in the field. This puts the song in its original context, adding a dark twist to a bright melody.
There is only one other section of lyrics to be addressed. These lines (“Old miss Lucy’s dead and gone, left me here to weep and moan”) occur between the repetitive hook and have been interpreted in many ways. In the original recording of “Green Sally Up,” there are two more lines that follow: “If you hate it, fold your arms; if you love it, clap your hands.”
So what does this mean? Although this may not be obvious to our non-American readers, the “Miss Lucy ” being referred to here is the slave owner. She’s died, leaving the slaves to their harsh lives. The following two lines (in the original song) offer the listener two options for reacting to the death, one positive and one negative.
The song breaks into the “Miss Lucy” section only briefly, always in between sections of unbroken repetition. This may be intended to emphasize that the work will continue regardless of the singer’s feelings or those of their audience. Regardless of the circumstances, up and down they go. Funnily enough, that’s the general way in which the song has been used in modern times (although the labor of today is done voluntarily).
In summary, “Flower” is a modern reworking of an old tradition that manages to unite two different times. Just as children would dance to the original, modern people use it as a soundtrack to their activities.
The Story Behind “Flower”
As mentioned, the story of “Flower” is longer than the story of most songs. Just as Thin Lizzy modernized “Whiskey in the Jar” when they added their electric sensibilities to an Irish folk tune, Moby managed to offer a modern take on an African-American folk song that predates anyone alive today.
“Flower” first gained significant notoriety when it was featured in Gone in 60 Seconds, a major motion picture. Specifically, it was part of the opening credits to the movie and left an impression on the viewers. Interestingly, it would later manage to live a second life when its popularity experienced a massive resurgence.
Due to the internet and its endless viral challenges, “Flowers” took off for a second time nearly 15 years after its original release. It was particularly common in a specific kind of fitness challenge that took the world by storm. Fascinatingly, the challenge largely took off due to a misunderstanding of the lyrics. “Green Sally up” was often misheard as “bring Sally up,” allowing fans of calisthenics and weightlifting to use the line one rep at a time.
“Flowers” has been a massive success critically and commercially. The official audio video on YouTube has nearly 30 million views, and the song has been hugely popular on other platforms as well.
The next time you play this long-lived earworm, let these pieces of music history bring it to life for you!