The Big Apple
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June 12, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Talking Big Apple ’75” (song by Loudon Wainwright III, 1976)

"Talking Big Apple ’75" is a song on the album T Shirt (1976) by American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor Loudon Wainwright III. The lyrics are a time capsule of New York…

May 25, 2005
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Taxi” (1972); “Mr. Cab Driver” (1989)

Neither "Taxi" nor "Mr. Cab Driver" is a New York City song, but both are about taxi drivers (something New York is known for). Also, the singer-songwriters of both songs have…

October 29, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Technically, all national anthems are country music”

A national anthem is, technically, "country" music. "No matter the musical style, a nation's national anthem is 'country music' Daily Jumble in 1:14, score 1115"…

March 28, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Technically, the air guitar is a wind instrument”

Is an "air guitar" a wind instrument? Actually, pretending to play a guitar is not playing an instrument at all. "My favourite wind instrument is probably the air guitar" was…

November 30, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Ten percent of my ashes shall be handed to my agent” (show business joke)

A popular show business saying is that an agent owns a piece of his or her client. The following joke was cited in 1948: "We pass along Edith Gwynn's Hollywood Reporter quote of Van…

December 14, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Thank you, 5” (“Thank you, five”)

"Thank you, five" (or "Thank you, 5") is a theater saying that has been printed on many images. A stage manager walks around just before the opening curtain and says, "Five…

December 14, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Thank you, five” (“Thank you, 5”)

"Thank you, five" (or "Thank you, 5") is a theater saying that has been printed on many images. A stage manager walks around just before the opening curtain and says, "Five…

July 14, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“That’s all there is—there isn’t any more!” (Broadway curtain-call speech)

Ethel Barrymore (1879-1959) was part of an acting family and was known as one of Broadway's most famous actresses. The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is located at 243 West 47th Street in Manhattan.…

January 17, 2025
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“That’s show biz” (expression)

"That's show business" (also "that's the show business," "that's show biz" and "that's showbiz") is an entertainment expression meaning…

January 18, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“That’s show business” (“That’s show biz”)

"That's show business" (also "That's show biz" or "That's showbiz") means something similar to "That's life!" -- there's bad along…

January 17, 2025
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“That’s show business” (expression)

"That's show business" (also "that's the show business," "that's show biz" and "that's showbiz") is an entertainment expression meaning…

January 17, 2025
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“That’s showbiz” (expression)

"That's show business" (also "that's the show business," "that's show biz" and "that's showbiz") is an entertainment expression meaning…

January 17, 2025
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“That’s the show business” (expression)

"That's show business" (also "that's the show business," "that's show biz" and "that's showbiz") is an entertainment expression meaning…

November 16, 2004
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” (1966)

"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy" was a Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel hit from the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966). The song has no New York City details in…

March 24, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The audience never goes out humming the scenery” (musical theatre adage)

"The audience never goes out humming the scenery" (or, "You can't hum the scenery") means that, while a musical might have wonderful scenery, its success lies in memorable…

October 6, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The best band name is ‘Free Beer’”

The best band name is often said to be "Free Beer." Who wouldn't show up for a bar band called "Free Beer"? "Free Beer" was actually the name of a bar band in…

December 19, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear”

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The line is from the movie Elf (2003), written by David…

June 12, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The Big Apple” (instrumental song by Hugh Masekela, 1972)

"The Big Apple" is an instrumental song on the album Home Is Where the Music Is (1972) by South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer Hugh Masekela (1939-2018),…

November 16, 2004
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The Bowery” (1892)

This popular song about an infamous New York street (now slowly being gentrified) is a New York City standard. http://www.musicals101.com/lybowery.htmSample Lyrics"The Bowery"Music by…

June 2, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“The butler did it” (murder mystery drama saying)

"The butler did it" is a clichéd solution to a murder mystery novel or play. The saying has long been associated with American author Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876-1958); her novel The…

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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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