Interesting factoid of the day

[tzikeh]

The phrase "copious free time" was coined by Tom Lehrer in his spoken intro to "It Makes a Fellow Proud to be a Soldier".

I have of course heard the phrase many times while listening to his intro to the song; I never knew that it got that big laugh not just because it was very funny and true to the context, but because it was innovative, and thus a surprising turn of phrase.

Just one more reason to love Tom Lehrer, I suppose. As if we needed any more.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/__marcelo/]

Wow. Didn't know that. *hearts Lehrer just that bit more*

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

He also? invented the Jello shot.

[genuflects]

[lumenara.livejournal.com]

You made me sing the refrain!

And now I'm going to have to look up the lyrics.

[vass]

*hearts him so much*

Did you hear about what he said when people asked him if he'd make a song about Dubya? "I don't want to satirise George Bush and his puppeteers, I want to vaporise them."

[greywingnut.livejournal.com]

Also? He can kill you with his mind.

Okay, maybe not. But I wouldn't doubt him if he said he could.

A couple years back, I asked my dad about a phrase from that song that I'd never understood: "policing up the filter tips." Turns out it means "picking up cigarette butts," rather reviled drudge work enlisted folks are sometimes assigned.

It's weird that I've literally listened to that song my entire life, but didn't think to ask the meaning of that phrase until last year.

::toddles off to make a Tom Lehrer icon::

[very-improbable.livejournal.com]

"He practiced animal husbandry, until someone caught him at it. . ."

[missmurchison.livejournal.com]

I quote that phrase all the time. A year or so ago, I had the pleasure of introducing one of my kids to Tom Lehrer because she was writing a short paper on Werner von Braun. "The rockets go up, I don't know where they come down. That's not my department..."