“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” (1932)
Say, don't you remember they called me Al,It was Al all the time.Why don't you remember, I'm your pal --Buddy, can you spare a dime? "Brother, can you spare a dime?"…
“Business was so bad they were shooting deer in the balcony” (Broadway saying)
"Business was so bad they were shooting deer in the balcony" is an old Broadway saying. The actor George Jessel (1898-1981) said this in 1928 to describe the immense proportions of the…
“Busy, blessed and booked”
"Booked and blessed" is the dream of every performer. The saying (sometimes as "busy, booked & blessed," "booked, busy & blessed" and other variations) has…
“Busy, booked and blessed”
"Booked and blessed" is the dream of every performer. The saying (sometimes as "busy, booked & blessed," "booked, busy & blessed" and other variations) has…
“Can we talk?” (Joan Rivers comic catchphrase)
"Can we talk?" was the catchphrase of Brooklyn-born comedian Joan Rivers (1933-2014). The saying meant that she was going to talk frankly, honestly, and, of course, with brutal humor.…
“Can you strangle a mime with a cordless phone?”
Many people hate mimes. "I just strangled a mime with a cordless phone" was posted on Twitter by Jason Maybe on January 22, 2011. "I just strangled a mime.... With a cordless…
“Car rides by yourself with loud music are good for the soul”
"Car rides by yourself with loud music are good for the soul" (or "Car rides by yourself with loud music are so therapeutic") is a saying that has been printed on many images.…
“Car rides by yourself with loud music are so therapeutic”
"Car rides by yourself with loud music are good for the soul" (or "Car rides by yourself with loud music are so therapeutic") is a saying that has been printed on many images.…
“Car rides by yourself with loud music be so therapeutic”
"Car rides by yourself with loud music are good for the soul" (or "Car rides by yourself with loud music are so therapeutic") is a saying that has been printed on many images.…
“Chelsea Morning” (1969)
"Chelsea Morning" was written by Joni Mitchell and recorded by Mitchell and (more popularly) Judy Collins in 1969. Today, the song is famous for being the first name of Chelsea Clinton,…
“Chew the scenery” (to overact)
Wiktionary: chew the sceneryEtymologyIts earliest reference is listed in the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang as being used by Mary Hallock Foote in Coeur D'Alene in…
“Church is never out until they stop singing”
"Church is never out until they stop singing" is another way of saying "It ain't over 'til it's over." "As long as the organ is playing church is not…
“Cinema means sin and enema”
"Cinema," for those who dislike the movies, is a word that combines "sin" and "enema." The book I Lost My Heart in Hollywood: Diary of a Dick (2011) by Will Veharo…
“Clapping is just repeatedly high-fiving yourself over someone else’s achievement”
"Clapping is just repeatedly high-fiving yourself over someone else’s achievement" is a saying that has been printed on several images. "Clapping is just highfiving yourself for…
“Clarinet: I wet my reeds with the tears of brass players”
"Clarinet: I wet my reeds with the tears of brass players" is a jocular music saying that has been printed on many images. "I wet my reeds with the tears of brass players" was…
“Classical music is the kind we keep thinking will turn into a tune”
Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) drew the popular newspaper comic strip Abe Martin of Brown County. A strip in July 1923 made a one-line observation about classical music:…
“Close enough for jazz” (music adage)
Jazz often involves a lot of improvisation. The term "close enough for jazz" has been cited in print since at least 1937 and reflects the sometimes wild and improvisational nature of jazz…
“Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and slow dancing”
“Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades” is a saying that has been cited in print since at least 1965. "Dancing" is often added to the expression. "'But you know…
“Comedy doesn’t travel well”
"Comedy doesn't travel well" is an entertainment adage that has been applied to plays, films, television shows and stage performers. Comedy depends on language and culture, and other…
“Comedy is a serious business” (theatre adage)
"Comedy is a serious business" has been attributed to the actor David Garrick (1717-1779), but cited in print from only 1894. Garrick allegedly said that tragedy was much easier to play.…