[2] The arrangement for "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" was provided by Artie Butler, who recalls Spector "asked me to listen to [the] song...[I] decided that in its present form it did not [have potential], but I heard something in my head.

"[3] Besides the five vocalists credited in the group which Zell Sanders assembled to record "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" (Yvonne Bushnell, Ethel Davis (aka Vernell Hill), Ada Ray Kelly, Johnnie Louise Richardson and Mary Sue Wells (aka Mary Sue Wellington/Mary Green Wilson)), at least five other vocalists are known to be featured on the track: Selena Healey, Marie Hood, Marlene Jenkins (aka Marlina Mack/Marlina Mars), Louise Harris Murray, Lezli Valentine and Iggy Williams have been identified as participating in the recording sessions for "Sally...".

The song was a favorite number of Grace Slick when she fronted the Great Society, her pre-Jefferson Airplane outfit, and it was a formative influence on Laura Nyro.

[9] Tuff released a Sally Go 'Round the Roses album which, despite the group being promoted as a quintet, displayed a cover image of a trio, only two of whom, Ethel Davis and Lezli Valentine, are identifiable.

Besides the title cut, in both vocal and instrumental versions, and the follow-up single "Keep an Eye on Her", the album featured "Archie's Melody", "Bongo Bobby", "I Wanna Know", "No Love at All", "One Track Mind", "Pick Up My Marbles", "School Days" and "See Saw".

Also featured as 'a special guest appearance' was "Dear Abby", credited to the Hearts, a minor hit (number 94) recorded by at least some of the same personnel who were involved with "Sally...".

"Sally Go 'Round the Roses" could be interpreted as a conventional song of heartbreak over cheating,[12][13][14] or it could be – and has been – seen as alluding to deeper matters,[12] including drug use,[14] illegitimate motherhood,[14] madness,[13] suicide,[13] or, most especially, lesbianism.

[19][20][better source needed] A 1966 performance of the song by Grace Slick is featured on Conspicuous Only in its Absence, the Great Society's live album released in 1968.

"Sally..." by Donna Gaines was issued as a one-off 1971 release on MCA Records in the UK (with catalog# MK 5060) and Europe with no evident result.

[22] "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" has also been recorded by Sunshine Ward on RCA Records in 1967, as well as Question Mark & the Mysterians, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Pentangle (on the album Basket of light), Judy Collins (on Portrait of an American Girl 2005), Yvonne Elliman,[26] Fanny, Holly Golightly, the Ikettes (B-side of "(Never More) Lonely For You" – December 1965), Alannah Myles, Asha Puthli, Normie Rowe, Sarah June (2010), Mitch Ryder, Susanna Hoffs,[27] Voice Farm and – as an instrumental – by Henry Kaiser.

Patti Scialfa's self-penned song "The Word" on her 2007 album Play It as It Lays references the lyrics of "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" and acknowledges the source.