What is the origin of this phrase?

It is really a corrupted version of "heels over head" as I read in one explanation?

Or does it describe someone's carriage; mean walking upright; with a straight back and good posture, rather than slumped forward?

Try http://www.wordorigins.org/

or Phrase Finder

Stag, under Wordplay see "Finding word origins"

Why won't anyone answer the question? Isn't this a word discussion forum? It's like going to the doctor and being told, "I'm sorry I can't help you. You need medical assistance."

I went to Phrase Finder. Hence my first post: "It is really a corrupted version of "heels over head" as I read in one explanation?"

But if you can't lower yourselves to answer a simple question...

Stag I for one would answer if only I knew.
All I can say is welcome aboard, and please do stick around.

HaiL, SB --

Perhaps the fact that no one has answered this other than to point to a couple of other web sites that seem to cover your question pretty well indicates that no one else has an answer.

No need to be so testy, is there?

Quote:

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Perhaps the fact that no one has answered this other than to point to a couple of other web sites that seem to cover your question pretty well indicates that no one else has an answer.

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Exactly why we suggested the beetle puppet check elsewhere. I even went to the trouble to see if Dave Wilton's big list has an entry for head over heels, which it doesn't; if it had I would've posted a link.