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Home, James

Posted by ESC on September 15, 2003

In Reply to: Home, James posted by ESC on September 15, 2003

: : Does anyone know where the saying "home James" came from?

: It's a cliche from the movies -- "Once around the park and home, James," said to the chauffeur. According to one reference, the original saying was: "Home, James, and don't spare the horses!" said to the coachman. Dates from 1870 -- if not earlier. There was a song by that title in 1934 that gave the phrase "a popular boost." From Dictionary of Catch Phrases: American and British, from the Sixteenth Century to the Present Day by Eric Partridge, updated and edited by Paul Beal, Scarborough House, Lanham, Md., 1992)

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