So help my bob I'm bully in the alley Ch: Way... ay... bully in the alley So help my bob I'm bully in the alley Ch: Way... ay... bully in the alley So help my bob I'm bully in the alley Ch: Way... ay... bully in the alley Bully in Tinpot alley Ch: Way... ay... bully in the alley Have you seen our Sally? Have you seen our Sally? Have you seen our Sally? Bully in Tinpot alley. She's the girl in the alley. She's the girl in the alley. She's the girl in the alley. Bully in Tinpot alley.

Shinbone Alley

Many versions of this song focus on Shinbone Alley.

It seems to be a narrow New York City alley, described in The June 5, 1896 New York Times:

What is called “Shinbone Alley” is a zigzag passageway running from Bond to Bleecker Street, east of Broadway, in the rear of several large wholesale houses. It is used by the merchants for the purpose of receiving and shipping goods, and is described as being in a filthy condition… When street cleaners have started to clean up the alley they have in some cases been told to go away.

The next day, residents were told the alley must be paved, cleaned, and policed. Today, it’s an unremarkable gated driveway.

The American minstrel tune collection The Ethiopian Gleebook gives As I Was Gwoin Down Shinbone Alley, possibly giving more recognition to the memorably named alley.

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