Toad-stabber

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.
 
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"
 
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 ? :D 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.
 
Did you think Commander Cody wrote that ? :D 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.
 
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 ..." :whistling:
 
Back
Top