Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Gravy train

Gravy train
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Gravy train (disambiguation).
Look up Gravy train in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

"Gravy train" is an idiomatic expression that is used to refer to any lucrative endeavour.[1]

The word "gravy" by itself was used prior to the invention of the phrase "gravy train" as an interjection of pleasure at something that's easy to do with a great reward, or as an adjective to describe such a situation, à la 'cushy'. An easy task.

In politics, "gravy train" refers to a depraved gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.
External links and references

Michael Quinion "in the Courier of Connellsville (also in Pennsylvania) in November 1895, almost two decades before the previously oldest known example: Johnston claims that Reuben Nelson and another tall negro were in New Haven the night of the escape and that they broke into the lockup. Johnson further states that the next day Kelson laughingly told him that the New Haven lockup was "a gravy train." "

George Michael's song "Round Here" from the album Patience starts with the line "My daddy got here on the gravy train"[2]

Pink Floyd uses the expression "Gravy Train" in their song "Have A Cigar"[3].
Ian Brown's song 'The Gravy Train' features on his 'Music of the Spheres' album. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie on the Simple Life, a guy remarkes, "now girls the gravy train is over with"

gravy
1381, from O.Fr. grané (with -n- misread for -u- -- the character used for -v- in medial positions in words in medieval manuscripts) "sauce, stew," probably originally "properly grained, seasoned," from L. granum "grain, seed." Meaning "money easily acquired" first attested 1910; gravy train (1927) was originally railroad slang for a short haul that paid well.

Have a Cigar (Waters) 5:24
Pink Floyd

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar.
You're gonna go far, fly high,
You're never gonna die,
You're gonna make it if you try;
They're gonna love you.
Well I've always had a deep respect,
And I mean that most sincerely.
The band is just fantastic,
that is really what I think.
Oh by the way, which one's Pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy,
We call it Riding the Gravy Train.
We're just knocked out.
We heard about the sell out.
You gotta get an album out.
You owe it to the people.
We're so happy we can hardly count.
Everybody else is just green,
Have you seen the chart?
It's a helluva start,
It could be made into a monster
If we all pull together as a team.
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy,
We call it Riding the Gravy Train.

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