on the bug

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005 16:38:42 -0400, Grant Barrett
<gbarrett at WORLDNEWYORK.ORG> wrote:

>Also for what it's worth (maybe nothing), there's a use of "on the
>bug tip" in a Biz Markie song called "Boogers" that might be related.
>I have no other cites for it and the meaning is not clear, but given
>the other kinds of tip one can be on, perhaps it means, "the inside
>scoop on weirdness or craziness."
>
>The lyrics:
>
>http://www.ohhla.com/anonymous/bizmark/goin_off/boogers.biz.txt

Haven't heard the song, but that may be a transcription error. I'd guess
that the phrase is actually "on the bugged tip", probably alluding to a
song with that title on Big Daddy Kane's debut album _Long Live the Kane_
(1988).


--Ben Zimmer