 The song was inspired by the story of a childhood friend of Lauper, who in her teens got pregnant, had a back-alley abortion, and died as a result.The song was co-written with Mary Chapin Carpenter.Lauper was a childhood fan of Elton John, and as a tribute to him, "Sally's Pigeons" contains references to "Tiny Dancer," a song that Lauper has revealed to always make her cry.