[Ads-l] "Drop"

Mon May 22 19:11:02 UTC 2023

I see that HDAS also documents 'drop science' in 9. *Rap music* a. "to 
tell, impart", as well as b. "to issue (a recording); produce" (from 
1989 and 1991, respectively), as well as 'drop trow' in the form 'drop 
trou', "[or trowel]" is noted. These senses merge with and are often 
indistinguishable as a matter of interpretation from 6. "to sell" (op. 
cit.; from 1925-6).

On 5/22/23 11:23, ADSGarson O'Toole wrote:
> Thanks for examining the OED and sharing 1988 citations, Jesse. To
> make up for my lack of diligence here is a pertinent 1986 citation for
> "drop a single".
> 
> Date: Feb 16, 1986
> Newspaper: Los Angeles Times
> Newspaper location: Los Angeles, California
> Article: DREDGING UP THE PURPLE PRINCE'S PAST
> Author: Patrick Goldstein
> Quote Page 80
> 
> [Begin excerpt – double check for typos]
> As for the timing behind the record's release-coming just as Prince is
> issuing a new album on Warners-Frances says it's strictly
> coincidental. "We had no idea that Prince was going to drop a single
> onto the world the week our record came out," he said. "He hasn't
> exactly been talking to us every day about his plans."
> [End excerpt]
> 
> Below is a fun metaphorical example of "drop a tune" from 1980.
> 
> Date: March 10, 1980
> Newspaper: Daily News
> Newspaper location: New York, New York
> Article: John Denver, alone  and at home
> Author: Bill Carlton
> Quote Page 27
> 
> [Begin excerpt]
> Putting out a record is like dropping a stone down a well and waiting
> to hear a splash. A big hit creates a tidal wave that slaps you in the
> face right away. Most records never make a ripple. But sometimes you
> drop a tune like "Verde" down there and though it may take years to
> hit the water, the faithful--and the patient--will eventually be
> rewarded.
> [End excerpt]
> 
> Below is an interesting "drop a record" in 1970. But the sense might
> be "drop off a record" and not "release a musical recording".
> 
> Date: Sep 12, 1970:
> Newspaper: Afro-American
> Newspaper location: Baltimore, Maryland
> Article: HOT ROD'S $ Billion Music
> Author: Maurice (Hot Rod) Hulbert
> Quote Page 17
> 
> [Begin excerpt]
> BILLY LASLEY skirted through town just long enough to drop a record
> that could really break in a hurry. The area of "Baltimore-Washington"
> is noted by many in the music industry as one of the stronger
> break-out areas for a record . Usually, I listen to a record more than
> once before coming up with an opinion, which in itself is a rarity,
> but, this record? . . . . One time on the turntable and I felt that it
> has what it takes to move right into the "Master Blaster Family" of
> hit records.
> [End excerpt]
> 
> Garson
> 
> On Mon, May 22, 2023 at 1:18 PM Jesse Sheidlower <jester at panix.com> wrote:
>>
>> OED has two examples (one transitive, one intransitive) of this from May 1988:
>>
>> 1988 _Spin_ May 44/3 I think that I should be able to drop records when I want.
>>
>> 1988 _Spin_ May 45/1 Maybe after my album drops and I'm back on the road doing what I'm supposed to do in this world, I'll be happy.
>>
>> The OED entry is restricted to musical recordings, rather than the broader sense we're now discussing.
>>
>> Jesse Sheidlower
>>
>> On Mon, May 22, 2023 at 12:30:47PM -0400, ADSGarson O'Toole wrote:
>>> Excellent citation, Bill. Here is an instance of "drop an album" from 1988.
>>>
>>> Date: Jun 8, 1988
>>> Newspaper: USA TODAY
>>> Newspaper location: McLean, Virginia
>>> Article title: Run-D.M.C. fight their bad rap
>>> Author: James T. Jones IV.
>>> Page Number: 04D.
>>>
>>> [Begin excerpt]
>>> "We were doing so many other things," Run says, "making a movie,
>>> touring. And when we were ready to drop an album, we had trouble with
>>> our record company."
>>> [End excerpt]
>>>
>>> Below is "drop an album" with a very different meaning in 1987. Below
>>> "drop an album" means stop promoting.
>>>
>>> Date: May 1, 1987
>>> Periodical: Musician
>>> Periodical location: Gloucester, UK
>>> Article title: FACES: CROWDED HOUSE
>>> Author: Charles M. Young
>>> Issue 103,
>>> Start Page 18, Quote Page 20
>>>
>>> [Begin excerpt]
>>> "Success has kind of stunned me too," says Finn. "Capitol has been
>>> just amazingly committed to the record. In Split Enz I saw just how
>>> fast a record company can drop an album. If something doesn't go right
>>> in the first few weeks, they think something's odd and they stop
>>> working it.
>>> [End excerpt]
>>>
>>> Garson
>>>
>>> On Mon, May 22, 2023 at 10:18 AM Bill Mullins <amcombill at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I probably first ran across this usage in reference to musicians "dropping" a new album, track, etc.
>>>>
>>>> 1994 NY Daily News 23 Feb 19/4
>>>> Salt-n-Pepa just dropped a new album, which is all over the charts.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> On Behalf Of Jonathan Lighter
>>>> Sent: Monday, May 22, 2023 7:35 AM
>>>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>>> Subject: "Drop"
>>>>
>>>> To release to the public; announce.
>>>>
>>>> I've been seeing and hearing this a whole lot in the past few months .
>>>>
>>>> <goog_1644883552>
>>>> https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/walmart-deals-dyson-samsung-191003952.html :
>>>>
>>>> Walmart just dropped 50+ incredible early Memorial Day deals, starting at $8.
>>>>
>>>> Old people will think this means Walmart rescinded those deals, but they'd be wrong.
>>>>
>>>> JL
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
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> 
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-- 
James Eric Lawson

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