One-trick pony

Posted by Masakim on February 26, 2002

In Reply to: One-trick pony posted by Marian on February 26, 2002

: An acquaintance who wrote a finale song for a college musical last year, and had hoped to get several new numbers she's now written approved for this year's musical, has failed to gain approval for anything other than another finale number. She's not as pleased as she was last year, partly because she fears she'll be labeled as a "one-trick pony." What's the origin of the phrase?

one-trick pony n phr by 1990s A person having a single accomplishment: "... as he proved during equisite ballads and mid-tempo tunes, he's no one-trick pony" --Milwaukee Journal / "For years, Twentieth Century Fund has been known to investors as one-trick pony" --New York Times

There was a movie titled "One-Trick Pony" :
Director: Robert M. Young
Cast: Paul Simon, Blair Brown, Rip Torn, Joan Hackett, Lou Reed, Mare Winningham
Summary:
Paul Simon wrote and stars in this interesting film about an aging musician who struggles to regain his lost popularity. Features the songs: "Late in the Evening," "Ace in the Hole," "One-Trick Pony," and 8 others. The Lovin' Spoonful and the B-52s also perform.
www.eonline.com/ Facts/Movies/0,60,12745,00.html

"One-trick poney" may be similar to "one-hit wonder."

• one-trick pony masakim 02/26/02