The Big Apple
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April 24, 2021
The Big Apple1960s: Fun City

“Big Apple” in East Village Other (1968-1971)

East Village Other (EVO) was published in New York City from October 1, 1965 until March 1, 1972. It was one of America's most influential underground newspapers of this period. "Big…

July 5, 2004
The Big Apple1960s: Fun City

“Big Apple” in Kurt Vonnegut Jr.‘s novel Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)

Just before Charles Gillett's campaign revived "Big Apple" in the 1970s, there is one important citation. The New-York Historical Society liked it enough to put it on its web…

August 2, 2004
The Big Apple1930s: Jazzing the Big Apple

“Big Apple” in the 1930s (Two clubs, plus song and dance)

The activities of the mid-late 1930s did not coin "the Big Apple" as New York's nickname, but they helped to popularize the term "Big Apple." In 1934, the Big Apple night…

January 19, 2024
The Big Apple“Big Apple” in the media

“Big Apple” in the media

The "Big Apple" story has made the following media: "Dear Abby" by Abigail Van Buren, May 12, 1988"Dear Abby" by Abigail Van Buren, August 2, 1988Irish America,…

June 7, 2021
The Big Apple1970s: Big Apple Revival

“Big Apple” lyric in the Joni Mitchell song “Song for Sharon” (1976)

Hejira (1976) is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. "Song for Sharon" is the first cut on the second side. "I went to Staten Island, Sharon"…

June 13, 2021
The Big Apple1970s: Big Apple Revival

“Big Apple” lyric in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song “I’m a Country Boy” (1975)

"I'm a Country Boy" is a song on the album Nuthin' Fancy (1975) by the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The singer is a country boy, and New York City is not for him. The song…

April 25, 2021
The Big Apple1970s: Big Apple Revival

“Big Apple” lyric in The Rolling Stones song “Shattered” (1978)

"Shattered" is a song by The Rolling Stones from the album Some Girls (1978). Mick Jagger talks a bit about the "Big Apple" (New York City) in the song. The…

May 7, 2021
The Big Apple1940s-1950s: Assorted Big Apple citations

“Big Apple” nightclub (The Three Faces of Eve film, 1957)

The Three Faces of Eve is an American mystery drama film, written and directed by Nunnally Johnson (1897-1977). Joanne Woodward won an Academy Award for her roles(s) of a woman with dissociative…

May 1, 2025
The Big Apple“Big Apple on foreign language Wikipedia

“Big Apple” on Foreign Language Wikipedia

"Big Apple" has a page on the English language Wikipedia. Here are "Big Apple" Wikipedia pages in other languages: Wikipedia (Armenian)Wikipedia (Bangla/Bengali)Wikipedia…

January 22, 2024
The Big Apple“Big Apple” on websites

“Big Apple” on websites

The "Big Apple" story has been published on the following websites: WikipediaNew York Public LibraryWorld Wide WordsWord OriginsMental FlossGotta Love New YorkToday I Found OutToday I…

May 2, 2025
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry PopikMedia/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“Big Apple” query and Ask Jeeves search engine (1999)

The search engine Ask Jeeves (Ask.com) advertised in November 1999 by putting stickers on fruit. A person picking up an apple, for example, was encouraged to go to Ask Jeeves and ask, "Why is…

April 13, 2026
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry Popik

“Big Apple” rap on Sesame Street (2026)

The American educational children's television series Sesame Street showed a rapping "Big Apple" muppet on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok on April 8, 2026: "Big Apple…

May 25, 2026
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry PopikRadio/Television

“Big Apple” T-shirt by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2021)

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has been broadcast in New York City since 2014. In 2021, host Jimmy Fallon designed a T-shirt with the name of the show written in an apple, with…

September 10, 2019
The Big Apple1970s: Big Apple Revival

“Big Apple” T-shirts from the Daily News (1975)

The Daily News newspaper popularized "Big Apple" by selling T-shirts, sweat shirts and beach towels in 1975 and 1976. The first ad was printed on July 13, 1975, and the last ad on August…

May 7, 2021
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry Popik

“Big Bugs in the Big Apple” (James and the Giant Peach film, 1996)

James and the Giant Peach (1961) is a novel by Roald Dahl (1916-1990). It was made into a 1996 film of the same name. James and some anthropomorphic bugs travel across the Atlantic ocean on a giant…

October 7, 2024
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry PopikFood/Drink

“Big Flavor in The Big Apple” (New York Apple Association ad campaign, 2024)

The New York Apple Association began the advertising campaign "The Big Flavor in The Big Apple" in October 2024 to promote apples grown in New York State. Ads were placed on 600 buses in…

July 21, 2019
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry Popik

“Bite the Big Apple” (Murder, She Wrote episode, 1991)

Murder, She Wrote, an American Comedy/Mystery crime drama television series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher, had an episode set in New York City…

May 7, 2021
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry Popik

“Bite the Big Apple” (The Devil’s Advocate film, 1997)

The Devil's Advocate (1997) is a film where Florida lawyer Kevin Lomax (played by Keanu Reeves) is lured to a big New York City law firm by John Milton (played by Al Pacino), who actually is…

June 12, 2021
The Big Apple1970s: Big Apple Revival

“Everybody bites on the Big Apple” lyric in the Cat Stevens song “New York Times” (1978)

"New York Times" is a song on the album Back to Earth (1978) by Cat Stevens. He would convert to Islam and take a long break from music, and his next album (credited to "Yusuf/Cat…

March 27, 2025
The Big Apple1970s: Big Apple Revival

“From the Big Orange to the Big Apple” (Saturday Night Live film short, 1977)

"From the Big Orange to the Big Apple" is a home movie (film short) that aired on the television show Saturday Night Live on February 26, 1977. American actress, comedian and writer Lily…

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About the Website and Editor

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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