My grandpa left me a boxcar-load of one-liners, bless ‘im. I still think them, even if I don’t say them out loud. Mom and I used to trade them, and I’ve passed a bunch on to #4 Daughter, the amazing Sara Marian.
For instance, when we had finished any errand or visit and I asked where to next, he would invariably say,
Home, James, and don’t spare the horses.
It’s a phrase that originated in the late 1800s, possibly because Queen Victoria had a coach driver named James. Grandpa told me this story that went with it, but he thought it was a joke somebody made up. Turns out it was a true story!
Grandpa was born in 1910, so people were probably still using the phrase when he was little. Besides, there was a song (or, likely, a reboot of the song) that was very popular in the mid-thirties.
Here it is. You’re welcome.
MA
dan antion
August 29, 2018 at 7:53amI love learning where expressions come from – thanks!
Marian Allen
August 29, 2018 at 9:49amI do, too! I was particularly tickled to find out that Grandpa’s “joke” about the coachman named James Darling was actually true!
Mitchell Allen
August 29, 2018 at 8:29amMarian, One-Liner Wednesday is fast becoming my favorite “column” in your eclectic magazine! We are the conduits of the past and catch-phrases are our passengers.
Cheers,
Mitch
Marian Allen
August 29, 2018 at 9:51am“We are the conduits of the past and catch-phrases are our passengers.” –I like! I’ll be using more of Grandpa’s catch-phrases. They make me happy, because they remind me of him. I may also get into some Mom and I had together.
Frank Hubeny
August 29, 2018 at 9:22amNice song! It is amazing how far technology has come since the 1930s, but the ballads are basically the same.
Marian Allen
August 29, 2018 at 9:52amSad, but true! He/she is still doing her/him wrong!
Linda G. Hill
August 29, 2018 at 10:16amI actually said this out loud about a week ago! Confused the hell out of everybody. 😛
Marian Allen
August 29, 2018 at 10:32amLOL!
John Holton
August 29, 2018 at 10:30amI love that song! First time I’ve heard it. Sounds like a song from the music hall.
Marian Allen
August 29, 2018 at 10:33amI thought so, too. It probably was. Probably still is!
Sarah Glenn
August 29, 2018 at 11:03amWhen I asked where we were going, my father always said, “Crazy!” ?
Marian Allen
August 29, 2018 at 11:07amLOL!
joey
August 29, 2018 at 10:17pmI shall endeavor to use this phrase, Marian. I shall.
Marian Allen
August 30, 2018 at 8:19amLet me know how that goes. Sounds like a blog post to me. 🙂
joey
September 19, 2018 at 8:24pmI feel like I’ll get a lot of use out of the phrase when the holidays arrive!