Thursday, May 14, 2009

Jews-harp

JEWS-HARP, n. An unmusical instrument, played by holding it fast with the teeth and trying to brush it away with the finger.

2009 Update: A prop which identifies the crazy old coot in a western movie to bearded audience members in dusty hats.

18 comments:

the amoeba said...

Amazing the jargon that such a simple tool can generate. From Wikipedia:

"The instrument is a lamellophone, which is in the category of plucked idiophones ..."

Somebody tell them to just pick it up and play the thing.

Jim said...

Jews-Harp: I won't trade you, I'm keeping my Omaha Flapjack. Both of them have magic qualities and for me are much easier to learn to play than the piano was.
..
Besides, I was born at home in the hills 35 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska. I always have a soft spot for things called Omaha anything.
..

Mo'a said...

First time I saw it, I was told it was a Juice Harp...I did not question, thought it might get it's name from the mouth juice ;)
I saw a man the other day with chipped teeth...said to myself, "He must be a Juice/Jews Harp player.

Doug The Una said...

Quilly, that's a meatball right down the middle for the kind of joke I don't approve of. Get thee behind me!

Great song, Amoeba. The Who were a heck of a band for at least half their career.

Actonbell, you just haven't been drunk enough yet.

Jim, that's mutual.

Mo'a, according to Wikipedia, "Jew's harp" might come from "juice harp" but probably not. Still, a good thought.

TLP said...

I refuse to play until Unitarians have their own harp. Just sayin'.

Doug The Una said...

TLP, the one thing Unitarians won't get is a harp.

pia said...

TLP: Unitarians can get their own harp despite Doug but you have to be into rituals and rituals and rituals, and Unitarians just ain't. (My sister wants me to become Unitarian so I can have a religion that I actually enjoy)

Jews-Harp: the justice Jews inflict on fellow Jews such as Madoff, seemingly sweet and melodic but oh so painful. Not that any of us ever sounded sweet and melodic. Oh yeah, Neil Diamond etc but I like to forget them

Jamie Dawn said...

What I'd REALLY like to see, Doug, is someone with a hedgehog head playing a Jews Harp.

Twang-twangety-twang-twang...

:-)

Ariel the Thief said...

Actonbell, it is a real cool stuff, we call it doromb. Lots of fun!

Anonymous said...

to harp is not just a jewish role,
think men/women enjoy pissing
and moaning in general,religion aside
PEACE.... T & G on the road again , graduation , camping with grandma ,
visit with daughters and grand-daughter...etc. etc. etc. etc.

sauerkraut said...

Good definitions for a misunderstood instrument. Frampton is happy you are showing the way. Every day. Even if the old coot is Festus or that other gnarly old guy with the weird voice.

Omnipotent Poobah said...

There are a million jokes I could crack here, but none of them would be very funny.

TLP said...

Thank you Pia. Doug is so selfish.

(Of course he means that we won't go to heaven. I agree with that.)

cooper said...

I can't think of a thing, had no idea what it is though, I have seen them...looks like something a orthodontist would put in my mouth, or a gynecologist might put somewhere else.

Unknown said...

them jews sure are harpy

spusi: chinese baby cat

Doug The Una said...

Pia, that was a very funny comment.

Any day now, JD. In fact, in Arkansas probably nearby.

Ariel, I knew if this blog lasted long enough, you would teach us all to speak Hungarian.

It's true, Bear. To harp is human.

Sauerkraut, it's good when someone remembers Frampton.

Poobah, it's a battle we have to fight every day.

I didn't think you'd argue, TLP.

Cooper, it does have a real multi-purpose look to it, doesn't it?

I s'pose, K. And the desis?

weirsdo said...

I too found the "lamellophone" reference. Much more melodious than the sounds produced by the instrument.

Doug The Una said...

It does sound pretty, doesn't it?