The Big Apple
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May 3, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Apple” lyric in the Michael Jackson song “Human Nature” (1982)

"Human Nature" is a song on the Michael Jackson album Thriller (1982). The song was written by Steve Porcaro (of the rock band Toto), but the lyrics were revised by the lyricist John…

August 14, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Are you ready to rock…paper, scissors?”

Rock music has nothing to do with the game of "rock-paper-scissors," but there are jokes. "Are You Ready To Rock…Paper, Scissors?" was posted on the blog sink or schwim. on…

March 2, 2005
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry” (1942)

"Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry" was a novelty song by Johnny Mercer (lyrics) and Victor Schertzinger (music). It was sung by Betty Hutton in the film The Fleet's In…

November 27, 2004
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (1981)

"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (1981) was written by husband and wife team of Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, and was performed by Christopher Cross. It was the theme…

August 4, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“As soon as 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…

January 28, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusPets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“Asking a writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp post how it feels about dogs”

"Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp post how it feels about dogs" was said by playwright Christopher Hampton (born in 1946) in the Sunday Times…

October 5, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Auctioneers are the original rappers”

Auctioneers have frequently been compared to rappers. "Auctioneers, the original rappers" was posted on Twitter on March 5, 2009. "Were cattle show auctioneers the first…

January 6, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Auld lang syne implies the existence of auld lang cosyne and auld lang tangynt”

The popular song "Auld Lang Syne" has nothing to do with math, but there are jokes. "auld lang syne implies auld land cosyne and auld lang tangent" was posted on X/Twitter by…

December 16, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Author! Author!” (audience shout)

"Author! Author!" are shouts that members of the theater audience make on the opening night of a successful play. The playwright then usually comes out and takes a bow, after the actors.…

November 15, 2004
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Autumn in New York” (1934)

"Autumn in New York" (1934) by Vernon Duke was written for the musical Thumbs Up. It is a wistful, nostalgic song. The song has been recorded by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Ella…

November 18, 2004
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“B.A., Buenos Aires, Big Apple” (Evita musical, 1978)

"B.A., Buenos Aires, Big Apple" is a lyric in what some have called the "Madonna movie musical," Evita (1996). Tim Rice (lyrics) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer) started work…

October 26, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Barrel of fun” (a lot of fun)

An entertainment is sometimes said to be "a barrel of laughs" (to have a lot of laughs) or "a barrel of fun" (to have a lot of fun). The "barrel" term was popular in…

October 25, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Barrel of laughs” (a lot of laughs)

An entertainment is sometimes said to be "a barrel of laughs" (to have a lot of laughs) or "a barrel of fun" (to have a lot of fun). The "barrel" term was popular in…

February 9, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Before Pro Tools, there were pros”

Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation that was initially released in 1989. What did music producers do before this? They relied on professional studio musicians, sometimes called "hired…

November 26, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Before the movie starts, it’s just 50 people sitting in the dark eating corn”

When people go out to watch a movie, they often buy popcorn and start eating it before the movie starts. "Before the movie starts, it’s just 50 people sitting in the dark eating corn"…

September 15, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Before there was Auto-Tune, there was talent”

Auto-Tune is a device that helps poor singers. "Before there was Auto-Tune, there was talent" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Before there was autotune there…

May 3, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Big Apple Blues” (song by Slade, 1977)

Slade was an English rock band that formed in 1966. The band lived in New York City for two years in the 1970s. "Big Apple Blues" is a song from the album Whatever Happened To Slade…

May 2, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Big Apple Dreamin’” (song by Alice Cooper, 1973)

"Big Apple Dreamin' (Hippo)' is a song by Alice Cooper on the album Muscle of Love (1973). It is perhaps the first rock song with "Big Apple" in the title. "Let's…

June 11, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Big Apple Rappin’” (rap by Spyder-D, 1980)

"Big Apple Rappin'" (1980) was released by Spyder D (Duane Hughes) on his own label, Newtroit Records. Big Apple Rappin': The Early Days of Hip-Hop Culture in New York City…

June 22, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Big Apple Rock” (disco song by Black Ivory, 1979)

Black Ivory, an American R&B group formed in Harlem in 1969, was started by Leroy Burgess, Stuart Bascombe and Russell Patterson. The album Hangin' Heavy (1979) opens with "Big Apple…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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