[Dixielandjazz] Butter and Egg man

[Ron L'Herault]

I think the reference hinges on this:  Cash is not something a farmer has a
lot of.  Often, sales of extra butter and eggs would result in "mad" money,
set aside until there was sufficient cash for a "vacation" or for a business
trip.   Perceived as easy marks, women of questionable virtue would try to
separate them from their dough.  Other women would see them as good
providers because they had the cash and would want to get involved with the
gentleman for the "security".

Ron L
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Hooks" <charliehooks@earthlink.net>
To: "DJML Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2002 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] "Struttin With Some Barbecue"


> on 7/28/02 4:50 PM, Stephen Barbone at barbonestreet@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> > "butter and egg man" (a dairy farmer or bumpkin who fancies himself as
> > an urban high roller)
>
> ...except that this makes no sense at all!  "She wants a dairy farmer who
> fancies himself as an urban high roller..."?  "Don't some dairy farmer or
> bumpkin want her?"
>
>     Have heard some silly stuff here and there in my life, but nothing to
> beat this!
>
>     No, a "big butter and egg man" in this song and among these words
> clearly means some guy who can bring home the bread, the bacon--and the
> butter and eggs--but with overtones of: also a good man to make the butter
> come and fertilize the eggs.  Farmer?  Bumpkin?  Forget it!
>
>     If the Random House Dictionary of American Slang says things as
idiotic
> as this, I'm glad to know I needn't buy it.
>
> Charlie
>
>
>
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