“Oh beautiful for spaceship skies” (“America the Beautiful” mondegreen)
"Oh beautiful for spaceship skies" is a mondegreen of "Oh beautiful for spacious skies," the opening line in the patriotic hymn "America the Beautiful." The misheard…
“Olympia, WA” (1995) (“52nd and Broadway” lyric)
"Olympia, WA" by the punk band Rancid was on their album ...And Out Come the Wolves (1995). The lyrics mention the corner of 52nd Street and Broadway. Someone should tell Rancid that…
“On Broadway” (1963)
"On Broadway" (1963) was recorded by the Drifters and was a big hit for George Benson. It's from the famed songwriting teams of Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, and Mike Stoller and…
“On the 6” (1999) & “Jenny from the Block” (2002)
On September 1, 1850, Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale," arrived in New York on the strength of her big hit, "Jenny from the Block." Nah, wrong Jenny. Just kidding! Bronx…
“Once I listen to music, I ignore everything around me”
"As soon as I listen to music, I ignore everything around me" is a music saying that has been printed on many images. "When i listen to music , I ignore EVERYTHING" was posted…
“Once you’ve heard one bagpipe tune, you’ve heard them both”
Many people believe that bagpipe tunes all sound the same. "When you've heard one bagpipe tune, you've heard them both" was printed in the time travel novel From Time to Time…
“One of my chief regrets is that I couldn’t sit in the audience and watch me act”
John Barrymore (1882-1942) was an American actor of stage and screen. The following barrymore comment was cited in print in 1938 about his many years in the theatre: "One of my chief regrets…
“Only in New York” (2002)
Thoroughly Modern Millie was a 1967 movie that starred Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore. The stage version, starring Sutton Foster, opened on Broadway April 2002 and closed June 2004. The action…
“Open Mike Night sounded fun, but then we got to the morgue”
"Open mic" (or "open mike") means that an entertainment venue (such as a nightclub or a comedy club) has an "open microphone" where people can sign up to perform. It…
“Opera is basically screaming in cursive”
Various types of music have been compared to cursive writing -- flowing and elegant, but sometimes difficult to understand. "Opera's like singing in cursive" was posted on Twitter by…
“Opera is just screaming music in cursive”
Various types of music have been compared to cursive writing -- flowing and elegant, but sometimes difficult to understand. "Opera's like singing in cursive" was posted on Twitter by…
“Opera is just yelling in cursive”
Various types of music have been compared to cursive writing -- flowing and elegant, but sometimes difficult to understand. "Opera's like singing in cursive" was posted on Twitter by…
“Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings”
Duffy's Tavern was a radio show from 1941 to 1951. Ed Gardner (1901-1963, and born in Astoria, NY) created the comedy series and spoke many of its most memorable lines. A newspaper review of…
“Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was assassinated in Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, while watching the play Our American Cousin. Fletcher Knebel (1911-1993), author of the satirical column about…
“Our comedies are not to be laughed at”
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Carl LaemmleCarl Laemmle (krl.lɛm.li/; born Karl Lämmle; January 17, 1867 – September 24, 1939) was a German pioneer in American film making and a founder…
“Out of all the martial arts, karaoke inflicts the most pain”
"Karaoke" should not be confused with "karate," but there are jokes. "Of all the martial arts, karaoke inflicts the most pain" is a jocular saying that has been…
“Pain is temporary, film is forever” (film adage)
"Pain is temporary, film is forever" is a movie adage that has been printed on many images. It take a great deal of effort to make a movie, but that pain is temporary and the film is…
“Penguin at the Big Apple” (instrumental song by The Trammps, 1972)
"Penguin at the Big Apple" is an instrumental song on the album The Legendary Zing Album (1975) by the American soul-disco group The Trammps. It was written and produced by Ronnie Baker,…
“PENNSYLVANIA 6-5000” (1940)
"PENNSYVANIA 6-5000" (1940) was one of the Glenn Miller Orchestra's greatest hits. It still is the phone number of the Hotel Pennsylvania, just opposite Penn Station on Seventh…
“People often ask me why I wanted to be a film editor. Well, to cut a long story short”
"To cut a long story short" is a common conversational expression. "When I was asked at the job interview 'Why do you want to be a Film Editor?' I replied 'Well, to…