# Feet, do your stuff!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 21, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513 "2007-10-21T23:10:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/1 "2007-10-21T23:10:02Z")

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What is the earliest recorded instance of the phrase ‘Feet, do your stuff!’?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/2 "2007-10-21T23:20:22Z")

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The phrase “Feets, don’t fail me now!” is usually attributed to Mantan Moreland and probably originated some time in the 1940’s, according to some brief research.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/3 "2007-10-21T23:30:04Z")

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[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]  
The phrase “Feets, don’t fail me now!” is usually attributed to Mantan Moreland and probably originated some time in the 1940’s, according to some brief research.  
[/QUOTE]

I’m reading some _Li’l Abner_ comics, and ‘Feet, do yo’ stuff!’ is in one from 1935.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/4 "2007-10-23T00:41:19Z")

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So anything earlier than 1935?

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**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/5 "2007-10-23T01:48:01Z")

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[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.]  
What is the earliest recorded instance of the phrase ‘Feet, do your stuff!’?  
[/QUOTE]

Moses, right after the Red Sea parted.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/6 "2007-10-23T02:18:48Z")

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The original phrase may have been “Feets–do your duty!” which we’ve traced back to 1918. And, “Feets–do yo’ stuff!” from 1925.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/7 "2007-10-23T02:21:39Z")

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But, if you feel compelled to search antiquity—

1693-William Congreve-The Old Batchelour.

“…Why do you not move? Feet do your Office—Not one Inch;…” 🙂

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Nothing new under the Sun.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feet-do-your-stuff/423513/8 "2007-10-23T02:22:06Z")

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[QUOTE=samclem]  
The original phrase may have been “Feets–do your duty!” which we’ve traced back to 1918. And, “Feets–do yo’ stuff!” from 1925.  
[/QUOTE]

Where did these phrases appear?