“Liberate Texas next—they’ve got oil, too”
The United States liberated Iraq (an oil-rich nation led then by Saddam Hussein) in 2003. The United States president was George W. Bush, the former Republican governor of Texas. A button at the…
“Life in Lubbock, Texas taught me two things…” (Butch Hancock)
Butch Hancock is a musician who was born in the largely Christian fundamentalist city of Lubbock in 1945. Hancock's long quote about the town's Christian values has made t-shirts!…
“Life is like a jar of jalapeños; What you do today may burn your ass tomorrow”
"Life is like a jar of jalapeños; What you do today may burn you ass tomorrow" is a food proverb, giving a Texas spin to the famous film line in Forrest Gump (1994). The Yale Book of…
“Life’s short. Eat more pie!” (Texas Pie Company in Kyle)
The Texas Pie Company in Kyle (south of Austin) has a slice of pie just above its door. On the sign is the Texas Pie Company slogan: "Life's short. Eat more pie!" The Texas Pie…
“Life’s too short to live in Dallas”
"Life's too short to live in Dallas" is a popular Fort Worth saying, seen on 1990s T-shirts and bumper stickers. Another saying is: "Life's too short to live in Houston,…
“Lift up the cow’s tail and look the situation squarely in the face” (LBJ?)
President Lyndon B. Johnson allegedly said that people should "lift up the cow's tail and look the situation squarely in the face." Some say that this is a Texas expression. The…
“Light as air, stronger than whiskey, and cheap as dirt” (barbed wire)
In 1877, John Warne Gates made a display of barbed wire in San Antonio's Military Plaza. It's "light as air, stronger than whiskey, and cheap as dirt," Gates allegedly told the…
“Like Grant took Richmond”
"Like Grant took Richmond" refers to the Union forces taking Richmond, Virginia, ending the Civil War. Ulysses S. Grant was the general-in-chief of the Union Army; General Godfrey Weitzel…
“Live Large. Think Big” (Dallas slogan)
"Live Large. Think Big" is the slogan promoted by the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city slogan is from June 2004, and it was replaced in October 2012 with "Big Things…
“Live Strong” (Lance Armstrong Foundation)
"Live Strong" is that motto that appeared in May 2004 on yellow wristbands, sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Millions of wristbands were sold at $1 each, with proceeds going…
“Load your brain before you shoot off your mouth”
"Load your brain before you shoot (off) your mouth" means the same thing as "think before you act." The "load your brain" saying has been cited in print since at least…
“Lobster tail and beer. Three of my favorite things”
"Lobster tail & beer. My three favorite things" is a saying that has been printed on many images. That is, "lobster tail" and "beer" becomes "lobster"…
“Long live cowboys”
"Long Live Cowboys" is a slogan that Wrangler Jeans has used since 2008. The slogan is also sometimes used by sports teams called "Cowboys" (such as the Dallas Cowboys).…
“Long Live Longnecks” (Lone Star Beer slogan)
Long-necked bottles were used for beer in the 19th century, and perhaps earlier than that. Lone Star Beer ("The National Beer of Texas") has long used long-necked bottles, called…
“Lost in Austin”
"Lost in Austin" is a popularly used phrase with rhyming qualities. The Panama Red song "Lost in Austin" dates to 1976, a song called "Lost in Austin -- Again" is from…
“Low and slow” or “Slow and low” (barbecue motto/dogma)
Entry in progress -- B.P. 2 September 1982, Los Angeles (CA) Times, "The Butcher...Barbecued Brisket: Cook It Low and Slow to Capture the Essence of Texas" by Merle Ellis, part VIII, pg.…
“Lubbock is in the middle of everything” (joke)
It's sometimes said that Lubbock, Texas, is in the middle of nowhere. Lubbock's nickname is "Hub City of the Plains" or "Hub City." However, a joke has it that the…
“Lubbock Or Leave It”
"Lubbock or leave it" is a takeoff of the familiar phrase "love it or leave it." "Lubbock Or Leave It" was the title of a 2006 song by the Dixie Chicks. The origin of…
“Lubbock, Hub City of the Plains (slowest moving part of the wheel)”
Lubbock has been called the "Hub City of the Plains" because the city is the economic engine of the South Plains. By at least 1996, bumper stickers declared that Lubbock was the "Hub…
“Lubbock, Texas is so flat that if you stand on a penny you can see Dallas!”
Many places in Texas are flat. "Lubbock, Texas is so flat that if you stand on a penny you can see Dallas!" is a saying that has been printed on several images. TwitterTexas…