For any who don't know this phrase, it means a devoted old couple leading a contented, if a somewhat boring life.
Taken 10 years ago. A long way from being "Darby and Joan" yet. |
As I looked it up online, I was surprised at how many literary and musical references there are. Here are some other uses of the phrase:
- There is a website of this name: http://www.darbyandjoanvintage.co.uk/ It's devoted to vintage china and accessories.
- And the Darby and Joan organisation: http://www.darbyandjoan.org Established more than 60 years ago. They care for elderly in their district in England.
- Darby and Joan Ltd. is on Facebook. They are event (presumably vintage events) planners in Derbyshire.
- A painting by an Australian in the 1800s is called Darby and Joan.
- Would you believe I found a Darby and Joan Cabernet and Chardonnay from Australia.
- And finally, a quaint video clip about the opening of the Darby and Joan club in 1942 in Streatham, London.
So, tell us, where has this phrase ended up? Have some Americans heard of it?
7 comments:
My parents used it when all us kids had left home. They were then just Darby and Joan. I had always presumed an old TV series or book was behind it.
Not in New Jersey, that I have heard.
First I'd ever heard of it!
A first for me, too. Thanks for teaching it to me!
Thanks for the nice blog link! I'm off to check out your posts now!
PS I'm a great Japanophile as well. I'll be back!
My Mum (from NSW) used this expression in the context of people's children leaving home too, and the emphasis seemed to be on contentment in each other, rather than their lives being boring or financially impoverished (as one of the links suggested). I never saw it as being negative, but my Dad died before all of us had left home, so I never heard my Mum use it about herself, but only others, which would have probably taken away any slightly negative connotations.
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