phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

"...you mangy mutt..."

Posted by Bruce Kahl on January 15, 2002

In Reply to: Bought the Farm posted by TheUnlurker on January 15, 2002

: : : : : : I don't much like Phrase Finder's explanation about going to a better place. Several years ago I read an explanation that also involved WW2. However, the gist was that the British government used to pay farmers for damages whenever a military plane crashed in their fields. Thus, when a plane went down, the unfortunate pilot "bought the farm."

: : : : : Forgive my sudden and off-topic unlurking, but I once spontaneously wrote a line (in a song) to describe someone driven to the edge of sanity by their abject loneliness:
: : : : : "If I don't get me some lovin' done,
: : : : : I'm gonna buy me the funny farm".

: : : : : Can't help but wonder if I stole it...

: : : : Possibly you heard the following while slumbering. The nightmare you cannot recall, but motivates your every waking moment:

: : : :
: : : : They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa
: : : : from: Dr. Demento's Delights
: : : : Warner Bros. 1975 BS 2855 0698

: : : : Verse 1:
: : : : Remember when you ran away and I got on my knees and begged you not to leave because I'd go berserk??

: : : : Well...You left me anyhow and then the days got worse and worse and now you see
: : : : I've gone completely out of my mind.. And..

: : : : Chorus:
: : : : They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!
: : : : They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa
: : : : To the funny farm. Where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're
: : : : coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!!!!

: : : : Verse 2:
: : : : You thought it was a joke and so you laughed, you laughed when I had said
: : : : that loosing you would make me flip my lid.. RIGHT???
: : : : I know you laughed, I heard you laugh, you laughed you laughed and
: : : : laughed and then you left, but now you know I'm utterly mad... And..

: : : : Chorus:
: : : : They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa,
: : : : They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa.
: : : : To the happy home. With trees and flowers and chirping birds and basket
: : : : weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes and they're
: : : : coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!!

: : : : .... There is more, but I'm feeling merciful

: : : Fortunately you didn't type out the lyrics from the B side of the original 7" vinyl single, which in strangely fitting manner features the exact same song as the A side... except played in reverse.

: : : This ground-breaking single was originally released by Napoleon XIV back in 1966. I am heartened by this.

: : The B side was produced for the Russian market.

: Hum. Of course "funny farm" for "mental institution" is an idiom that I was already aware of, and "bought the farm" for "dead" another. My question is when I combined these two idioms to form "bought the funny farm" to mean "lost it" was I unconsciously stealing from somewhere?

: Late on a Friday afternoon it seemed to matter -- not sure that I care anymore ;)

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  • Retry Bruce Kahl 01/15/02

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