I feel a song coming on...

Posted by ESC on January 13, 2003

In Reply to: Hard to lick honey out of a marble stone posted by ESC on January 12, 2003

: : : : What does " you cannot get blood from a stone means"

: : : That you can't force people to do things that they are incapable of doing - you can't MAKE most people run 100 metres in 10 seconds. To try to get blood out of a stone is equally fruitless.

: : It's a proverb most often used to describe the futility of collecting on a debt from someone who has no funds.

: YOU CAN'T GET BLOOD OUT OF A STONE - "The stone here is a metaphor for a person who simply does not have (or would never give up) what is being sought - usually money. Over the centuries, various objects, such as a stone, a turnip, and even a wall, have been used in versions of the saying. The earliest known rendering, which appeared in John Lydgate's 'Minor Poems' (c 1435), mentioned marble - 'Harde to likke hony (honey) out of a marbil stoon.'.Charles Dickens first rendered the saying as 'Blood cannot be obtained from a stone,' in 'David Copperfield' and then recorded the exact wording of the modern version in 'Our Mutual Friend' ." From Wise Words and Wives' Tales: The Origins, Meanings and Time-Honored Wisdom of Proverbs and Folk Sayings Olde and New; by Stuart Flexner and Doris Flexner (Avon Books, New York, 1993).

: That is a great little book, by the way. It always had more complete information than some of the other (more expensive) references.

You Can't Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd

- Artist: Roger Miller as sung on "The Return Of Roger Miller." Words and Music by Roger Miller

Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage
Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage
Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

All ya gotta do is put your mind to it
Knuckle down, buckle down, do it, do it, do it

Well, ya can't go a-swimmin' in a baseball pool
Ya can't go swimmin' in a baseball pool
Ya can't go swimmin' in a baseball pool
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

Ya can't change film with a kid on your back
Ya can't change film with a kid on your back
Ya can't change film with a kid on your back
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car
Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car
Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

All ya gotta do is put your mind to it
Knuckle down, buckle down do it, do it, do it

Well, ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch
Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch
Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch
But you can be happy if you've a mind to

Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
SPOKEN: "Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd"

FADE
Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd

Transcribed by Robin Hood