# Etymology of "Jonesin", "Got the Jones", etc
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 25, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630 "2005-01-25T19:34:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/1 "2005-01-25T19:34:29Z")
Where does “Jonesin’” come from? The term is hip-hop slang, and usually refers to “really wanting something”. Like so:
Needing a drug fix
Hopelessly infatuated with somebody (He’s got a jones for her!)
Best I can come up with is that it’s a reference to “Keeping up with the Joneses”.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/2 "2005-01-25T19:59:10Z")
[According to this site:](http://open-dictionary.com/Jones)
> [@](#):
>
> Ed Boland, in the New York Times, March 2002, attributes the term to heroin addicts who frequented Great Jones Alley in New York City between Broadway and Lafayette.
I first heard it in the 70’s after a song called “Basketball Jones” became popular.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/3 "2005-01-25T20:19:54Z")
Upon further research, “Basketball Jones”, released by Cheech & Chong in 1973, was a parody of “Love Jones”, released by _The Brighter Side of Darkness_ in 1972, which rose to the top ten of the R&B charts that year. Prior to that, I suspect ‘jones’ and ‘jonesin’ were pretty obscure urban slang.
You can hear a sample of “Basketball Jones” [here](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002KN1/ref=pm_dp_ln_m_2/002-5045765-9063223?v=glance&s=music&vi=samples).
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/4 "2005-01-25T20:59:04Z")
Here is what [The Word Detective](http://www.word-detective.com/092403.html#jones) says.
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### Author:  [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2005, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/5 "2005-01-26T12:29:01Z")
Thanks, y’all!
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/6 "2005-01-26T18:16:39Z")
Huh. Interesting links. I always assumed it was a derivation of “the Joneses” - up with whom you are expected to keep. Therefore “Jones” as a noun = a craving, or something you want to possess (like the Jonses have), and “Jones” as a verb means wanting to possess something…
Ummm, but now I’ve typed the word “Jones” too many times and it looks like a non-word.
Carry on.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/7 "2005-01-26T19:48:39Z")
Here is what the Word Maven’s [say](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19961031). Nothing new there though. Basically another vote for undetermined.
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### Author:  [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-jonesin-got-the-jones-etc/286630/8 "2005-01-26T19:49:45Z")
I have no idea.