“The bag that breaks is the one with the eggs” is a saying that has been popularized by Arthur Bloch, the compiler of the “Murphy’s Laws” books. Bloch wrote in 1983 newspapers that this was “Woodside’s Grocery Principle.”
“The grocery bag that breaks is always the one with the eggs in it” is another version of the saying that was printed in Another Treasury of Clean Jokes (1983) by Tal D. Bonham.
Google Books
Another Treasury of Clean Jokes
By Tal D. Bonham
Nashville, TN: Broadman Press
1983
Pg. 150:
The grocery bag that breaks is always the one with the eggs in it.
18 September 1983, Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), “Murphy’s Laws and Then Some” compiled by Arthur Bloch, Arizona magazine, pg. 2, col. 1:
WOODSIDE’S GROCERY PRINCIPLE
The bag that breaks is the one with the eggs.
10 March 1985, Akron (OH) Beacon Journal, “Rules To Explain Why Life Drives You Crazy” compiled by Arthur Bloch, Beacon magazine, pg. 10, col. 4:
Woodside’s Grocery Principle
The bag that breaks is the one with the eggs.
Google Books
The Complete Murphy’s Law:
A Definitive Collection
By Arthur Bloch
Los Angeles, CA: Price Stern Sloan
1990
Pg. 220:
WOODSIDE’S GROCERY PRINCIPLE: The bag that breaks is the one with the eggs.
Google Groups: rec.humor.funny
More of Murphy’s Laws
Michael J. Irvin, WSU, 509/335-0437
3/20/91
(...)
The bag that breaks is the one with the eggs.
27 May 2001, Houston (TX) Chronicle, “Rare bookstore closes chapter” by Leon Hale, pg. A37:
One sign I like: “The grocery bag hat breaks is the one that contains the eggs.”
Google Groups: de.comm.software.mozilla
[Mail] Neue Nachricht - Sound ändern
Hans-Peter Weecks
12/13/02
(...)
The grocery bag that breaks has the eggs in it.
Twitter
Random Password
@randompassword
eiD;e3ei #password - The bag that breaks has the eggs.
—Woodside’s Grocery Principle
4:44 AM - 28 May 2009
Google Books
The Mammoth Book of One-Liners
Edited by Geoff Tibballs
London, UK: Constable & Robinson Ltd
2012
Pg. ?:
The shopping bag that breaks is the one with the eggs.
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
•“Unless you’re music, I don’t want to listen to you in the morning” (5/8)
•“Took my own lunch to work and didn’t buy a coffee today so I should be able to afford to buy a house any day now” (5/8)
•“Unless you’re music, I don’t wanna listen to you in the morning” (5/8)
•Entry in progress—BP24 (5/8)
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More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
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.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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