The Big Apple: “A nickel gets you on the subway, but garlic gets you a seat”

Above, a plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at west 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan.

Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Oct. 17, 1931, Turf Play, p. 7.

Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce The Big Apple, a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.

This site is edited by Barry Popik. Technical matters are handled by Grant Barrett of Double-Tongued Word Wrester Dictionary.

Entry from August 30, 2004

“A nickel gets you on the subway, but garlic gets you a seat”

This is listed as an "old New York saying" or "Yiddish saying" on many web sites.

It had better be old. The subway a nickel? I've also seen it on the web as "three nickels."

Unfortunately, I haven't seen it recorded that early.

9 December 1980, Christian Science Monitor, pg. B16:
An old New York Yiddish maxim holds that: "Three nickels will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat."

1 July 1981, Wall Street Journal, pg. 1:
In New York in the days of the five-cent subway, they used to say that you could ride the subway for a nickel but garlic got you a seat.

Posted by Barry Popik
Food/Drink • (0) Comments • Monday, August 30, 2004 • Permalink