Toad-stabber

[John Winn]

Our niece and family moved from our beautiful state to Arkansas three years ago. Last year over the phone I asked her how far from her old residence is her new residence. She said, "Down the road a piece."

Yeah, man - made me think of Will Bradley and the early Rolling Stones (i.e. when they were a cover band).

 

[Mike Serpa]

Yeah, man - made me think of Will Bradley and the early Rolling Stones (i.e. when they were a cover band).

I'll check that when I get some time. Thanks.

 

[John Hartwell]

I find multiple mentions of a "toad stabber" in period newspapers: always referring to a pen- or pocket-knife ("a horn-handled, spring-back toad-stabber with a four inch reach.") Probably calling an officer's sword a "toad-stabber" likens it to his equivalent of a pocket knife -- not any use in actual amphibian-assault. I doubt the term was very widespread.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Yeah, man - made me think of Will Bradley and the early Rolling Stones (i.e. when they were a cover band).

I liked the Bradley version much more than The Stones version!

Henry Mancini: The overall style is as that of boogie-woogie, as Mancini explained: I looked at the scene several times [and] I thought, 'Yeah, they're walking eight to the bar', and that brought something to mind, an old Will Bradley boogie-woogie number called 'Down the Road a Piece' ... Those little elephants were definitely walking boogie-woogie, eight to the bar. I wrote 'Baby Elephant Walk' as a result.

Didn't know Bradley was the first to record "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar"

 

[mofederal]

We use frog sticker here, or even a pig sticker. We also use the term frog strangler for a bad rain. There are some other terms I cant use here, but in use still.

 

[John Winn]

I liked the Bradley version much more than The Stones version!

Henry Mancini: The overall style is as that of boogie-woogie, as Mancini explained: I looked at the scene several times [and] I thought, 'Yeah, they're walking eight to the bar', and that brought something to mind, an old Will Bradley boogie-woogie number called 'Down the Road a Piece' ... Those little elephants were definitely walking boogie-woogie, eight to the bar. I wrote 'Baby Elephant Walk' as a result.

Didn't know Bradley was the first to record "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar"

Did you think Commander Cody wrote that ? It's often a shock to a lot of people to find out how many hits of their youth were actually covers from decades before (e.g. I've met many people who think Eric Clapton wrote Crossroads).

The Bradley's piano player - Freddy Slack - was a popular guy in the day and did a lot of hits with Ella Mae Morse of Cow Cow Boogie fame (e.g. House Of Blue Lights which has been covered by many rockers). Bradley's partner Ray McKinley wrote a number of Ella's tunes.

OK, sorry for the ramble down music lane. Can't help myself sometimes ! Glad you liked Ray Badley.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Did you think Commander Cody wrote that ? It's often a shock to a lot of people to find out how many hits of their youth were actually covers from decades before (e.g. I've met many people who think Eric Clapton wrote Crossroads).

The Bradley's piano player - Freddy Slack - was a popular guy in the day and did a lot of hits with Ella Mae Morse of Cow Cow Boogie fame (e.g. House Of Blue Lights which has been covered by many rockers). Bradley's partner Ray McKinley wrote a number of Ella's tunes.

OK, sorry for the ramble down music lane. Can't help myself sometimes ! Glad you liked Ray Badley.

No. I always thought the Andrews Sisters were first with that song.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

I find multiple mentions of a "toad stabber" in period newspapers: always referring to a pen- or pocket-knife ("a horn-handled, spring-back toad-stabber with a four inch reach.") Probably calling an officer's sword a "toad-stabber" likens it to his equivalent of a pocket knife -- not any use in actual amphibian-assault. I doubt the term was very widespread.

Just spit-balling here John, but if I were to guess, and knowing how the avg. Joe in the ranks has historically "enjoyed" to puncture the illusions of grandeur of officers, I'm betting it was used as slang in the sense that, "That fancy sword that Capt. Derrière is luggin' about is about as useful a ..."

 

[Zella]

There are some other terms I cant use here, but in use still.

Those are the ones I've always heard too! I've never heard toad floater or strangler until I read them here but have heard cruder variants.

 

[Coonewah Creek]

I've heard of 'gully washer' for a torrent of rain.

"Noah's Flood" was one my Dad always used.

 

[Zella]

"Noah's Flood" was one my Dad always used.

When my grandfather is feeling theatrical, he'll say a heavy rain "makes Noah's Flood look like a morning dew."