Not over till the fat lady sings ... in Texas? (and Ancestry.com)

[Sam Clements]

Michael,

I've spent the last four hours on Ancestry.com and searched the following
phrases(one year at a time):
church lady sings  1960-1978
fat lady sings 1940-1979
it ain't over 1960-79
opera's not over    1960-79
church ain't out    1950-79

It just ain't there.

SC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Quinion" <TheEditor at worldwidewords.org>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2003 8:51 AM
Subject: Not over till the fat lady sings ... in Texas?


> A subscriber has sent me a note which sounds like one of the more
> inventive bits of folk etymological invention that have come my way
> recently. But might there just be a smidgen of truth in it?
>
> He claims the expression comes from the Texas legislature, in which
> at one time (he quotes a time around WW2) an opera singer performed
> at the end of each legislative session. Whenever a legislator or
> lobbyist suffered a defeat, he would say, "It ain't over until the
> Fat Lady sings!", by which he would declare that his project wasn't
> finally defeated until the session was adjourned.
>
> Your comments will be most welcome ...
>
> --
> Michael Quinion
> Editor, World Wide Words
> E-mail: <TheEditor at worldwidewords.org>
> Web: <http://www.worldwidewords.org/>
>