The twelfth of never

[Charles Doyle]

So, no evidence comes to light that "the twelfth of never" was proverbial prior to its use in the 1957 song.  (Incidentally, there have occurred, more recently, scattered instances of the alliterating "ninth of never" and other dates of that month--as well as such expressions as "half-past hell freezes over").

However, the phrase does belong to a recognized "folk" pattern discussed at length by the great paremiologist Archer Taylor: "Locutions for 'Never,'" Romance Philology 2 (1949): 103-34.  Such expressions as "at four o'clock next summer," "at next Never's tide (or Nevermass)," "auf Maienostern" (Easter never falls in May).

--Charlie

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