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#33095 06/22/01 08:01 AM
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The Surrealist Alphabet: one of my dad's 78 that he laughed uproariously to. I can't remember exactly what they said on the record (or who they were: Jack Hulton?). Possible variations:

C forth Highlanders.
E for Adam.
H for... no I can never remember this either. H for consent? No, too racy.
N for a penny.
Q for billiards.
S for Williams.
U for... for mism? for ne?
V for la France (at which point the two performers broke into a hearty "Allons enfants de la patrie").


#33096 06/22/01 10:27 AM
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The version I was dragged up with had;
"H for dropping" (in true London style!)

"G" was for "backing"
and an alternative to "E for brick" was "E for Adam"

edit and an alternative for "o" was "O for the Rainbow"
Also, in war-time London, "Q" was "for everything!"


#33097 06/22/01 01:31 PM
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Kay Francis was an actress. She did a lot of movie work in the 1930s. More info:

http://www.queertheory.com/histories/f/francis_kay.htm


#33098 06/22/01 02:48 PM
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I never heard these as a string- just one or two- but i suspect that
L for leather [which is silly really, as L is for leather]

is bassed on Hell for Leather-- which is an idiom that means go at something, no matter what--

"The shoppers went hell for leather to get the last few pieces, of the last shipment of the latest electronic toy, before the stores closed for the holidays"

In an other thread, Rodward, and others shared other versions.


#33099 06/22/01 02:57 PM
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That has just jogged my geriatric memory a bit more - in UK, "k" was "for teria" (cafeteria, yeh?)


#33100 06/22/01 03:02 PM
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AB, CD goldfish?
L, MNO goldfish!
OSMR goldfish. CMPN?


#33101 06/23/01 07:19 AM
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I've heard two versions for the letter S:

S for Williams
S for Rantzen

I believe Ms. Williams was a swimmer, and Ms. Rantzen had teeth.

Bingley


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#33102 06/23/01 03:41 PM
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Rusty, thanks for posting that! Beef or mutton made me . But, I still don't get: E for brick (though I finally got Eve or Adam); I for Novello; J for oranges; or
W for a shilling.

It gave me satisfaction to decipher queue for a ticket, 'arf a mo, and zephyr breezes.

ALso: Bingley, your statement that Ms. Rantzen had teeth left me in the dark.






#33103 06/23/01 05:25 PM
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Esther Williams was I believe an US Olympic swimmer, later a movie star. In a movie, Keenan Wynne was engaged to her, but soon supplanted by Van Johnson, who (in the movie) married her. Keenan Wynne then got off a line I treasure: "She may be married to you, but remember, she's still engaged to me."

I too can't get "E for brick" unless its "Heave a brick"


#33104 06/23/01 10:18 PM
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Jackie still doesn't get: E for brick (though I finally got Eve or Adam); I for Novello; J for oranges; or W for a shilling.

Well, the only one that I can adventure is Jaffa Oranges for J, but I'm not entirely sure... the other ones are just as mysterious to me!

Marianna


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