J. L.
("Rhotic") Lewis
Posted by R. Berg
on October 12, 2002 In Reply to: Re: Goodness
gracious posted by ESC on October 12, 2002
: : : : : : : :
: : Does anyone know where the expression adjective "jammy" comes from. I'm not
sure how widely it's used but means lucky - as a kid it was lengthened to "jammy
dodger" which is a biscuit - any ideas?
: : : : : : : I think it comes exclusively
from that biscuit confection with strawberry jam (or jelly if you're US) inside,
meaning a dodgy sort of person-with the 'dodger' bit left out.
: : : : : : We
have strawberry jam in the US, too. Jam, made with whole fruit, has seeds; jelly,
made with juice, doesn't.
: : : : : It has a different consistency too. When
I see a glob on the kitchen table, I think to myself, "It must be jelly 'cause
jam don't shake that way."
: : : : I'll just bet you do.
: : : And as The
Killer sings:
: : : I like a little coffee/I like a little tea/ But jelly,
jelly, jelly is the thing for me"
: : I assume you mean Mr. J.L. Lewis? If so
I think (thing?) he might well have been singing Jerry, Jerry, Jerry is the thing
for me. I worked with "Killer" in the 1970s in my previous life as a recording
engineer. A most alarming character. As far as I know he didn't actually kill
anyone during his stay in London but he always gave the impression it was his
response of choice if you did something he wasn't 100% pleased with. From the
safe distance of 25 years and a few thousand miles I can say that he came across
as a tiny bit conceited.
: : Great to have had a front row seat while he knocked
seven bells out of the studio piano though.
: Now I'm going to have to get out
my CDs and listen carefully. Was the original "jelly, jelly, jelly" and he changed
it? Jerry Lee Lewis is my favorite. My twins were born on his birthday. Although
I'm not quite sure what to make of that. What I like about him is that he has
NEVER mellowed and he doesn't suffer fools gladly. I know he didn't kill anyone
but he's kind of scary anyway.
In the perverse American dialect, "Jerry" and
"jelly" sound quite different.
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