Huckleberry [and the UK]

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Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by peter »

Can anyone enlighten me as to the meaning of the word 'huckleberry' when it is applied to a person rather than a referal to the common berry which bears the name.

The other day listening to a song I heard this done [I can't alas remember the song's name], but it reminded me of two other uses in this manner, namely Huckleberry Finn and in the film 'Tombstone' where Val Kilmer uses the line "I'll be your huckleberry." Clearly [well I think 'clearly' {questionable}] there is a 'cultural' usage of the word, perhaps archaic, but perhaps still well understood in the USA, that has not 'crossed the pond' to us in the UK.

[By the way (on a totally unrelated topic :biggrin: ), does anyone know what happens to remaining 'rump' of the UK if the Scottish decide to go it alone in a few weeks time in terms of it's name? Presumably 'the UK' has to go; What about Great Britain (seems a bit pretentious).]
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Post by Fist and Faith »

No idea. But my wife and I pick the berries a lot and make cobbler and stuff!
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Post by peter »

Ok Fist, well - cobbler's a new one on me too. I'm going to take a wild swing. A sweetish bread made with full grain [ie brown] flour and sometimes used [in combination with lots of sugar] in puddings. How'd I do?
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by Orlion »

peter wrote:Can anyone enlighten me as to the meaning of the word 'huckleberry' when it is applied to a person rather than a referal to the common berry which bears the name.

The other day listening to a song I heard this done [I can't alas remember the song's name], but it reminded me of two other uses in this manner, namely Huckleberry Finn and in the film 'Tombstone' where Val Kilmer uses the line "I'll be your huckleberry." Clearly [well I think 'clearly' {questionable}] there is a 'cultural' usage of the word, perhaps archaic, but perhaps still well understood in the USA, that has not 'crossed the pond' to us in the UK.

[By the way (on a totally unrelated topic :biggrin: ), does anyone know what happens to remaining 'rump' of the UK if the Scottish decide to go it alone in a few weeks time in terms of it's name? Presumably 'the UK' has to go; What about Great Britain (seems a bit pretentious).]
Two different meanings.

In the case of Huckleberry Finn it would mean 'unimportant' or 'small'.

In the case of Val Kilmer it would mean, "I'm just the man you're looking for!"
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Post by Hashi Lebwohl »

Fist and Faith wrote: But my wife and I pick the berries a lot and make cobbler and stuff!
TMI

lol jk
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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by wayfriend »

peter wrote:The other day listening to a song I heard this done [I can't alas remember the song's name],
Was it Moon River?

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waiting, round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
Last edited by wayfriend on Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by Hashi Lebwohl »

wayfriend wrote: Was it Moon River?

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waiting, round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
8O

I don't recall *that* being in the lyrics of that Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer song.

Incidentally, I *hated* Breakfast at Tiffany's. What a boring movie featuring boring characters. *ugh*

[Mod Edit: Fixed Quoted Typo]
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Post by [Syl] »

home.earthlink.net/~knuthco1/Itemsofinterest1/huckleberrysource.htm
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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by wayfriend »

Hashi Lebwohl wrote:I don't recall *that* being in the lyrics of that Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer song.
Fixed. Please don't freud that one. :oops:
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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by Hashi Lebwohl »

wayfriend wrote:
Hashi Lebwohl wrote:I don't recall *that* being in the lyrics of that Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer song.
Fixed. Please don't freud that one. :oops:
We aren't going to discuss all the typos *I* make.

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Post by Avatar »

I fixed it in the quote. :D

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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by peter »

wayfriend wrote:
peter wrote:The other day listening to a song I heard this done [I can't alas remember the song's name],
Was it Moon River?

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waiting, round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
Bang on Wayfriend! I heard it on 'vintage tv' while waiting to go to work the otherday and it was what promted me to look into what it could mean?

Using Orlions two definition explanation doesn't quite work here though. Is he refering to the river as his 'huckleberry friend' ie both 'drifters' and 'off to see the world'. My 'small and unimportant' friend.....Hmmm?
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by Orlion »

peter wrote:
wayfriend wrote:
peter wrote:The other day listening to a song I heard this done [I can't alas remember the song's name],
Was it Moon River?

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waiting, round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
Bang on Wayfriend! I heard it on 'vintage tv' while waiting to go to work the otherday and it was what promted me to look into what it could mean?

Using Orlions two definition explanation doesn't quite work here though. Is he refering to the river as his 'huckleberry friend' ie both 'drifters' and 'off to see the world'. My 'small and unimportant' friend.....Hmmm?
If it's the river, the definition "just what's needed" seems to fit. If it is someone else, then think of it as "my little friend". Sometimes, deprecating statements (particularly as nicknames) are signs of affection (think of calling a huge guy 'Mr. Little')
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Govern the reasoning creature, man.
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Re: Huckleberry [and the UK]

Post by wayfriend »

Orlion wrote:
peter wrote:
wayfriend wrote: Was it Moon River?

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waiting, round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
Bang on Wayfriend! I heard it on 'vintage tv' while waiting to go to work the otherday and it was what promted me to look into what it could mean?

Using Orlions two definition explanation doesn't quite work here though. Is he refering to the river as his 'huckleberry friend' ie both 'drifters' and 'off to see the world'. My 'small and unimportant' friend.....Hmmm?
If it's the river, the definition "just what's needed" seems to fit. If it is someone else, then think of it as "my little friend". Sometimes, deprecating statements (particularly as nicknames) are signs of affection (think of calling a huge guy 'Mr. Little')
People have sometimes asked about the meaning of the phrase "huckleberry friend".

As a child, Mercer picked huckleberries (like wild blueberries) in the summer. To him, the berries had a personal connection with a carefree boyhood, strengthened by association with Mark Twain's character Huckleberry Finn.

The implication was that Holly Golightly, who was actually of hillbilly stock, and Huckleberry Finn might well have been friends, if ever they had met. [link]
The real question is, of course, what is "Moon River" anyway?
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Post by Iolanthe »

Wasn't there a Huckleberry Hound? Wasn't he blue?
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Post by aliantha »

Iolanthe wrote:Wasn't there a Huckleberry Hound? Wasn't he blue?
There was, and he was. :)
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Post by sgt.null »

aliantha wrote:
Iolanthe wrote:Wasn't there a Huckleberry Hound? Wasn't he blue?
There was, and he was. :)
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Huckleberry Hound Theme
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Post by Iolanthe »

Aw thanks Sarge. That brought back memories of my childhood. :lol:
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Post by peter »

'Curioser and curioser' as the girl said. ;)
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

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Post by sgt.null »

Iolanthe wrote:Aw thanks Sarge. That brought back memories of my childhood. :lol:
did they play a lot of the Hanna Barbera stuff in England?

I have a huge interest in the English comic books as well.

www.internationalhero.co.uk/e/earlyuk.htm
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