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Joined:  Apr 2005 Posts: 1 stranger
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Curious as to the derivation of "jones" as in my co-worker's frequent admission that she "has a jones for shoes" -- is this drug argot from the excuses given for surreptitious meetings ("I'm going to see Mr. Jones.")?
 Any help appreciated.
 
 
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Joined:  Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 Carpal Tunnel |  
|   Carpal Tunnel Joined:  Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 | 
Welcome, jgear! Yes, it is drug argot in its derivation - apparently from the jag of withdrawl from heroin originally.  A previous discussion is not so much illuminating as ruminating…http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=30179 I also half-recall a more exact answer somewhere, but am afraid I cannot find it now. |  |  |  
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Joined:  Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 Carpal Tunnel |  
|   Carpal Tunnel Joined:  Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 | 
This from the Word Origins site:
 Jones
 The exact origin of this word meaning an overwhelming yen or craving is unknown. It first appears in Black English in the early 1960s. The original sense is of a heroin addiction. Gradually, the meaning widened to include any desire.
 
 
 
 
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Joined:  Jan 2002 Posts: 1,526 veteran |  
|   veteran Joined:  Jan 2002 Posts: 1,526 | 
I have not heard this word in a while - some years, at least.  I did not hear the word as a pure noun, but more like a gerund or infinitive, as in "to jones" or "jonesing."  But when I heard it , it seemed to have a different meaning.  "Jonesing" seemed to mean trying to get something without paying for it, or get more than your fair share of it - begging, borrowing with no intention of paying back, finding "lost" or "misplaced" money, "liberating" money and property that were not locked down.
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Joined:  Oct 2003 Posts: 389 enthusiast |  
|   enthusiast Joined:  Oct 2003 Posts: 389 | 
Basketball   Jones   featuring Tyrone ShoelacesWritten by Richard A. "Cheech" Marin and Thomas Chong
 
 - parody of "Love Jones" by Brighter Side Of Darkness
 - as recorded by Cheech & Chong on their 1973 album "Los Cochinos"
 - all-star band included George Harrison, Carole King, Billy Preston and Tom Scott, with Darlene Love and Michelle Phillips (The Mamas & The Papas) as cheerleaders.
 - single peaked at #15 in 1973
 
 Barry White & Chris Rock did a vesion of the bouncy classic for the cartoon movie Spacejam
 
 “Basketball Jones, I got a Basketball Jones
 Got a Basketball Jones, oh baby, oo-oo-ooo
 
 Yes, I am the victim of a Basketball Jones
 Ever since I was a little baby, I always be dribblin'
 In fac', I was de baddest dribbler in the whole neighborhood
 Then one day, my mama bought me a basketball
 And I loved that basketball
 I took that basketball with me everywhere I went
 That basketball was like a basketball to me
 
 I even put that basketball underneath my pillow
 Maybe that's why I can't sleep at night
 I need help, ladies and gentlemens
 I need someone to stand beside me
 I need, I need someone to set a pick for me at the free-throw line of life
 Someone I can pass to
 Someone to hit the open man on the give-and-go
 And not end up in the popcorn machine
 So cheerleaders, help me out
 
 {cheerleaders sing repeatedly...}
 (Basketball Jones, I got a Basketball Jones)
 (I got a Basketball Jones, oh baby, oo-oo-ooo)
 
 {while Tyrone Shoelaces sings/speaks...}
 Oh, that sounds so sweet
 Sing it out
 C'mon Coach Booty, Red Blazer, sing along with me
 That be bad, honky
 Yeah
 I want everybody in the whole stadium to stand up and sing with us
 Oh yeah, sing it out like you're proud
 All right, everybody watchin' coast-to-coast, sing along with us
 Bill Russell, sing along with us
 Chick Hearn, sing along with us
 Chris Schenkel, don't sing nothin'
 
 Oh, it feels so good
 Gimme the ball
 I'll go one-on-one against the world, left-handed
 I could stuff it from center court with my toes
 I could jump on top of the backboard, take off a quarter, leave fifteen cents change I
 could, I could dribble behind my back I got more moves than Ex-Lax I'm bad I could
 dribble with my tongue Here I go down court, try to stop me You can't stop me 'cause I
 got a Basketball Jones Here I come That's my hook shot with my eyebrow Yeah, I could
 dunk it with my nose I'm, I'm bad as King Kong, gimme the ball I'm hot, I'm hot as...,
 I'm hot as..., I'm hot as... uh Uh, uh, uh, uh
 
 Basketball Jones, I got a Basketball Jones...”
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Joined:  Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 Carpal Tunnel |  
|   Carpal Tunnel Joined:  Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 | 
Spencer Recovery Centers Luxurious Private Rooms Available Call a counselor at 1-800-334-0394www.spencerrecovery.com Pacific Hills Treatment Affordable sophisticated and highly successful alcohol /drug treatment.www.pachills.com Ads By Google |  |  |  
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Joined:  Oct 2003 Posts: 389 enthusiast |  
|   enthusiast Joined:  Oct 2003 Posts: 389 | 
The Spencer looks nice. I missed these, thanks, and when I get out - Devon & Jones Apparel Shop the entire catalog online. Men's & Women's. Rush Avail.www.pinnaclepromotions.com ...than off to see - Get Tom Jones Tickets Same Tickets as Other Sites - Just Much Lower Prices - No Service Feeswww.StellarTickets.com Ads By Google |  |  |  
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Joined:  May 2005 Posts: 456 addict |  
|   addict Joined:  May 2005 Posts: 456 | 
Always thought it was OJ (Old Jive) from around 1967.    |  |  |  
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Joined:  Aug 2007 Posts: 17 stranger |  
|   stranger Joined:  Aug 2007 Posts: 17 | 
So, when the artist sung "me and mistress Jones we´ve got a think going on" he was talking about drugs, and not about adultery. Was he? |  |  |  
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Joined:  Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 Carpal Tunnel |  
|   Carpal Tunnel Joined:  Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 | 
Me and Mrs. Jones  Billy Paul had confessed to an affair with a married woman in “Me and Mrs. Jones” (“We’ve got a thing going on”)(1972)  |  |  |  
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Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 Pooh-Bah |  
|   Pooh-Bah Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 | 
Hola JoseBienvenido
 (does that mean welcome?  I'm a little rusty)
 
Last edited by Zed; 08/27/2007 7:35 PM.
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Joined:  Aug 2007 Posts: 17 stranger |  
|   stranger Joined:  Aug 2007 Posts: 17 | 
Yeah! Great. Bienvenido really means welcome. Thank you for your support, and accept my apologies, as I am more fluent in latin than in english. See you all! |  |  |  
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Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 Pooh-Bah |  
|   Pooh-Bah Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 | 
Until my Spanish is better than your English you'll have no reason to apologise. |  |  |  
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Joined:  May 2005 Posts: 456 addict |  
|   addict Joined:  May 2005 Posts: 456 | 
Y quizás querría saber que Zed es una chica.    |  |  |  
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Joined:  Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 Carpal Tunnel |  
|   Carpal Tunnel Joined:  Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 | 
Aramis, shouldn't that be chiquita? ("girlie") |  |  |  
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Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 Pooh-Bah |  
|   Pooh-Bah Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 | 
Soy demasiado mujer para me llama chiquita.edited for spelling which isn't my strong suit in any language.
 
Last edited by Zed; 09/05/2007 8:02 PM.
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Joined:  May 2005 Posts: 456 addict |  
|   addict Joined:  May 2005 Posts: 456 | 
¡Claro que sí, Anna! La verdad nos dice [o dices si puedo]. |  |  |  
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Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 Pooh-Bah |  
|   Pooh-Bah Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 | 
Maybe I should switch to Zedita to reduce confusion.
 erk, How to annoy the people you share an office with.  I'm on lunch break and just dropped a piece of spaghetti down inside the keyboard.  Complete with cream sauce.
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Joined:  Feb 2008 Posts: 1 stranger |  
|   stranger Joined:  Feb 2008 Posts: 1 | 
does anyone have any ideas on what basketball jones acctually means? |  |  |  
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Joined:  Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 Carpal Tunnel |  
|   Carpal Tunnel Joined:  Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 | 
hi Lil jim.. but, huh? did none of the previous mean anything? Maverick's post in particular? (an overwhelming yen or craving)
 -joe (I've got a word jones) friday
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Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 Pooh-Bah |  
|   Pooh-Bah Joined:  Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 | 
Hi Lil jimmyThe  Maverick post tsuwm mentioned is waaay up near the top in blue.   Hmm, are you supposed to snort or inject the basketball.  You'd need either a big nose or a big needle.
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