"Pick your window, you are leaving"

Question

Dear all,Do you know the origin of this idiom ? I am almost sure I have heard in a movie from the 50's, but I can't remember which one.Any idea ?Gilbert

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Dear all, Do you know the origin of this idiom ? I am almost sure I have heard in a movie from the 50's, but I can't remember which one. Any idea ?[/nq]
The Defenestration of Prague.

Usenet · Answer

Carmen,
Thanks, but could you give me more detail - I know about the Prague events in 1600 or so, but is this a title of a movie ? Or how an event in Prague could result in an English idiom ?
Gilbert

Usenet · Answer

Gilbert Harrus typed thus:
[nq:1]Carmen, Thanks, but could you give me more detail - I know about the Prague events in 1600 or so, but is this a title of a movie ? Or how an event in Prague could result in an English idiom ?[/nq]
I think that was a small joke.
"Pick your window you?re leaving" is in a song by Deep Purple: "Dead or Alive" from "The House Of Blue Light".
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/deep-purple/38853.html

I suppose they must have got it from somewhere - it's not the sort of thing you'd say unless it was a quote.

David
==
replace the first component of address
with the definite article.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]"Pick your window you?re leaving" is in a song by Deep Purple: "Dead or Alive" from "The House Of Blue Light". http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/deep-purple/38853.html I suppose they must have got it from somewhere - it's not the sort of thing you'd say unless it was a quote.[/nq]
Somebody must have, once.

SML

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]"Pick your window you?re leaving" is in a song by Deep Purple: "Dead or Alive" from "The House Of Blue Light". http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/deep-purple/38853.html I suppose they must have got it from somewhere - it's not the sort of thing you'd say unless it was a quote.[/nq]
It turns up in another rock song:
Flotsom & Jetsam
Home base: Arizona
Lineup: Ed Carlson, guitar; Mike Gilbert, guitar; Eric A.K., vocals; Kelly Smith, drums; Jason Ward, bass/keyboards
Pick A Window
Another lamp with the bulb broken out
You can't see in here but I know how
I know glass is made of sand
But I see right through enough to understand
(snip)
Pick a window because now you're leaving
Do you like hospital food - You will
Can your mother sew - Have her stitch' this
And here's an interview with one of the group, if you can follow him:

http://www.hardradio.com/metalmama/flotsam96.html
SR: "Pick A Window" stands out as one of my favorites. EC: It's actually funny. The first European tour we did was with Megadeth. We were sharing a bus with their crew and the saying from this Irish crew guy was 'pick a window cause now you're leaving, can your mother sew and then you **** heads and then you tell her to 'stitch this.' That phrase has never left our vocabulary since
1988.

So, Ireland and 1988, there are your clues. More than you usually get for off-beat rock lyrics.

Best Donna Richoux

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Dear all, Do you know the origin of this idiom ? I am almost sure I have heard in a movie from the 50's, but I can't remember which one. Any idea ? Gilbert[/nq]
'Tain't an idiom. Others have suggested origins and you seem to have ideas of your own but one would have to have a very liberal definition of idiom to call it one.
aokay
Use your name (or almost anything else) @ treveneth.com for email. This will work unless you or somebody else who has done the same thing has put me on spammers' lists. Ain't redirection marvellous? (g)

"Pick your window, you are leaving"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions