Wednesday, July 14: Tune It Or Die!
NICE CATCH
by Rob Lopresti
One of the occupational hazards of my job is running into interesting reference books. This week I discovered The Oxford Dictionary of Catchphrases, edited by Anna Farkas. It’s a fun read, although with any book of its type part of the fun is complaining. On what planet is By golly, he’s not going to die a catchphrase? And how could they leave out Who’s on first?
A more serious complaint is that Farkas doesn’t attempt to define a catchphrase. So, let’s take a shot at it. A catchphrase is a popular word or phrase, given additional connotations by its source or associated usage, and often serving as an idiom and/or a shibboleth.
To pick one at random, when President Reagan thought Congress was considering of a tax increase he could have said “Try it. I dare you.” Instead he said Go ahead. Make my day. The average American understood that he was offering a dare but also realized he was invoking the steely resolve (or if you prefer, wacko aggression) of Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies.
I think most communities and families build their own list of catchphrases. That’s part of the shibboleth thing. For example, to my neighbors calling anything subdued carries extra meaning because we live in, unofficially, the city of subdued excitement.
Being from Oxford the book has a British bias (heavily into the Goon Show and Reginald Perrin). But what explains the obsession with Star Trek Quotes? I’m a trekker, I admit, but I don’t think everything Dr. McCoy ever said was quotable. And I am shocked – shocked! that Farkas only found one line from Casablanca worthy of mention. (You will find it below.)
So here are a few of my favorites from the book. I tried to cover most of the ones from our field.
All we want are the facts, ma’am.
And so to bed
Book ’em, Danno
Damn fine coffee.
D’oh!
Have gun, will travel.
How sweet it is!
I know nothing, nothing!
Jane, you ignorant slut
Let’s be careful out there
Missed it by that much!
Now cut that out!
Nudge nudge, wink wink.
One ringy dingy…
She who must be obeyed
You rang?
You talkin’ to me?
And now for something completely different
According to the book these five familiar catchphrases have something in common. I’ll put the answer in the comments.
Beam me up, Scotty
Elementary, my dear Watson
Me Tarzan, you Jane
Play it again, Sam
We are not amused.
Inconceivable!
Here are some that Farkas left out. I swear, I have heard every one of them used as a catchphrase.
…And several butcher’s aprons
Be seeing you
Billions of billions
The clue meter is reading zero
Every time I think I’m out they pull me back in
Failure is always an option
The FALL’S gonna kill you
Have fun storming the castle!
Houston, we have a problem
I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like victory.
Pfui
Round up the usual suspects
Say goodnight, Gracie
The turtle moves
We are not at home to Mr. Cock-up
Well, THERE’S your problem
Yes, Minister
Over to you, Roland…
So, what are your favorite catchphrases? Sock it to me. Inquiring minds want to know.
I so enjoy dipping into this type of book. Not sure what it says of my education but I was raised on the Goons and family conversation is littered with catchphrases from their shows and similar BBC fare.
Without stealing your thunder, an answer to your question, plus more of the same.
Rob, I love this stuff!!
I think I know what your five catchphrases have in common, but I’ll wait for your comment so I don’t make a fool of myself . . .
None of those phrases were actually spoken by the characters in the movies or TV shows. I still hear Play it again, Sam argued as an actual quote. Maybe those lines were all left on the cutting room floor?
SPOILER ALERT: Cindy is right, of course. Except that Victoria supposedly never said her famous phrase in real life, not movies.
By the way, Johnny Weismuller supposedly said the “Me Tarzan” line to his co-star in the parking lot when helping her put something heavy into her car.
Wonderful! Back in High School, myy best buddy and I used to quote the ’70’s kid’s show “Magic Mongo” all the time. It was all about a blundering genie and when we get together we still reel off such gems as:”Hey, no problem Oh Sultan of the Surfboards!” And: “I’ll do for you what I did for the Spanish Armada.” (or some other of history’s losers). Remember the old David Letterman effort to create a new catchphrase? (“Whadya want? Wicker??”) Once I got to use my favorite movie catchphrase in real life:”Here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into!”
Ilsa’s line in Casablanca is, “Play it Sam, play ‘As Time Goes By’.” What a great scene. Where the misquote originated is a mystery.
I think most of them originated with comedians or impressionists. It just made the schtick work better.