Quote/Counterquote

“Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:25:43 PST

TOLSTOY’S FAMOUS LINE ABOUT FAMILIES: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian novelist, playwright and essayist The first line of Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina (1878) This sentence — one of the most famous...

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“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” – and curves and bonds (among other things)…

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:27:25 PST

THE BOOK TITLE THAT BECAME A SAYING: “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” Anita Loos (1893-1981) U.S. novelist, playwright and screenwriter This is the familiar short title of Loos’ famous satiric book, first published in 1925. The full title is Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady. ...

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“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” – but you may eat your own words…

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:58:17 PST

THE INFAMOUS KATE MOSS QUOTE: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Kate Moss British Supermodel Her controversial response when asked if she had a personal motto, in an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, November 13, 2009 THE...

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“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:34:40 PST

THE OLD SIXTIES SLOGAN: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Charles Dederich (1914-1997) Founder of Synanon, the 1960s drug rehabilitation organization that morphed into a cult Most sources credit Charles Dederich with coining this well-known self-help mantra in the 1960s, around the time he founded Synanon. Clearly, it’s...

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“A ticket to ride” – from the Beatles to politics to LOLdogs…

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:06:45 PST

THE FAMOUS BEATLES LYRIC: “She’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care.” The Beatles The well-known line from the chorus of their 1965 song “Ticket to Ride,” featured in their movie HELP! Like many Beatles songs, “Ticket to Ride” is officially credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney but was primarily written by one of them...

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“He can run, but he can’t hide.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:31:01 PST

THE BROWN BOMBER’S IMMORTAL WORDS: “He can run, but he can’t hide.” Joe Louis (1914-1981) American heavyweight boxing champion, nicknamed “The Brown Bomber” This was Joe’s famous comment about boxer Billy Conn, shortly before their heavyweight title rematch in New York City on June 19, 1946. (Some sources wrongly link it to the first...

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Should “Auld Lang Syne” lyrics be forgot, sing a parody version…

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:57:53 PST

You can read about the origin of the lyrics of “Auld Lang Syne” on my ThisDayinQuotes.com blog. In tonight’s post on QuoteCounterquote.com, I offer some of my favorite alternative lyrics. Happy New Year! THE GAY LOMBARDO VARIATION: “When Socrates in Ancient Greece Sat in his Turkish bath He rubbed himself, and scrubbed himself And steamed both fore and aft. ...

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“All I want for Christmas is…”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:07:09 PST

THE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS NOVELTY SONG: “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, My two front teeth, see my two front teeth. Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth, Then I could wish you ‘Merry Christmas.’” Donald Gardner (1913-2004) American music teacher and songwriter ...

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“Suppose they gave a war and nobody came.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:57:51 PST

THE ORIGINAL INSPIRATION FOR THE SIXTIES SLOGAN: “Sometime they’ll give a war and nobody will come.” Carl Sandburg (1878-1967) American poet and writer A line from Sandburg’s epic prose poem The People, Yes (1936) In the 1960s, several variations of an anti-war slogan began...

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Charity (and/or love) covers a multitude of sins...

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:20:58 PST

THE FAMOUS BIBLICAL QUOTE: “Charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Saint Peter (c. 1 BC-c. 67 AD) Galilean-born Apostle of Jesus and early Christian leader His famous words in I Peter 4:8, as given in the King James Version of the Bible Chapter 4, Verse 8 of the “First...

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“The shot heard round the world.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:07:12 PST

THE ORIGINAL THING HEARD ROUND THE WORLD: “The shot heard round the world.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American poet, essayist and lecturer This famous line is from Emerson’s poem “Hymn Sung at the Completion of the Concord Monument.” It comes at the end of the first verse: ...

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“Crime does not pay.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:58:57 PST

THE FAMOUS CAUTIONARY CATCHPHRASE: “Crime does not pay.” Proverbial saying popularized in the 1930s Some sources say “Crime does not pay” was coined by Chester Gould, creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip, which debuted in 1931. In fact, although its high-profile use as Tracy’s motto certainly helped popularize the saying, Gould didn’t coin it. Nor did the old time radio show The...

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“Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 07:57:04 PDT

THE HEAVENLY CONUNDRUM POPULARIZED BY A SONG: “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.” Tom (Thomas Henry) Delaney (1889-1963) African-American blues and jazz composer, pianist for Ethel Waters Title of (and lyric from) a song Delany wrote sometime prior to 1948 ...

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“Carpe diem.” (“Seize the day.”)

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:44:49 PDT

THE PLUCKY LATIN QUOTE: “Carpe diem.” [Traditionally translated as “Seize the day.”] Horace (Quintas Horatius Flaccus, 65-8 B.C.) Roman poet The famous phrase from Book I of his Odes (35 B.C.) “Carpe diem” is one of the two most famous quotations from Horace’s Odes. The other is:...

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“Religion is the opium of the people.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:58:25 PDT

THE FAMOUS KARL MARX SOUND BITE: “Religion...is the opium of the people.” (“Die Religion...ist das Opium des Volks.”) Karl Marx (1818-1883) German philosopher, historian and “Founding Father” of socialism and communism From the introduction to his manuscript Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right (1844) ...

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“I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:51:15 PDT

THE FAMOUS FAUX DOCTOR’S LINE: “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV.” Used in TV ads for Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup by actors Chris Robinson and Peter Bergman This now oft-parodied confession was popularized by Vicks Formula 44 commercials that began airing in 1984. The original ads featured Robinson, who was best known at the time for his role as Dr. Rick Webber on the...

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“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:30:27 PDT

THE OLD AXIOM THAT WORKS, EXCEPT WHEN IT DOESN’T: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Bert Lance American banker and political advisor to President Jimmy Carter This was already a proverbial saying in the Southern U.S. and maybe elsewhere before Lance adopted it as one of his own favorite quips. But Lance is widely credited with...

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“A kinder, gentler nation” – or maybe not...

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:57:38 PDT

GEORGE’S APPARENTLY IMPOSSIBLE DREAM: “I want a kinder, gentler nation.” George H. W. Bush Republican politician and 41st President of the United States This is one of three famous quotes from the speech Bush gave on August 18, 1988 at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, accepting his nomination as the presidential candidate...

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Freedom’s just another word…

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:55:15 PDT

KRISTOFFERSON’S FAMOUS OBSERVATION: “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose, Nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’, but it’s free.” Kris Kristofferson American songwriter, musician and actor Lyrics from the chorus of his song “Me and Bobby McGee” (1969), made even more famous by Janis Joplin’s cover version on her...

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No peace (or rest) for the wicked…

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 06:06:02 PDT

THE BIBLICAL ORIGIN: “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.” Isaiah 48:22 (King James version) This Bible verse, and the similar line in Isaiah 57:20, gave rise to the proverbial saying “No rest for the wicked,” which eventually morphed into “No rest for the weary.” The meaning of the Bible verses is that people who do sinful, wicked things will be tormented and won’t...

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“The gift that keeps on giving.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:22:22 PDT

THE FAMOUS ADVERTISING SLOGAN: “The gift that keeps on giving.” An old advertising slogan of uncertain origin This familiar ad slogan has been used for various products by various companies since the early 1900s. One of the first high-profile uses appears to have been by the Victor Talking Machine Company (later absorbed into RCA Victrola), to promote phonographs and records. In...

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“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:50:49 PDT

THE FAMOUS PATRIOTIC QUOTE: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan Hale (1755-1776) American schoolteacher, spy and Revolutionary War hero According to legend, Hale uttered this brave quote on September 22, 1776, just before he was hung by the British for being an American spy....

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How do we love to parody Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43? Let me recount some ways...

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:36:32 PDT

THE ORIGIN OF THE IMMORTAL LOVE QUOTE: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) English poet The famous opening words of Sonnet 43, from her Sonnets from the Portuguese (written 1845-46, published 1850) Robert Browning and...

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“Let them eat cake” – the misinterpreted origin, recent political uses and some politically incorrect variations...

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:46:36 PDT

THE ALLEGED (BUT DOUBTFUL) ORIGIN: “Let them eat cake.” (“Qu’ils mangent de la brioche.”) Attributed to Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) Queen of France from 1774 to 1792; beheaded in 1793 during the French Revolution This classic expression of disdain for the common people has traditionally been attributed to Marie...

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“The opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings.”

noreply@blogger.com (SubtropicBob) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:49:30 PDT

THE MOST FAMOUS VERSION: “The opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings.” Dan Cook (1926-2008) San Antonio sports journalist and broadcaster Cook is widely credited as the person who popularized this saying, though he probably didn’t coin it. According to a June 3, 1978 article in the Washington Post (cited by many...

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