# "It goes something like this" origin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2008, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936 "2008-07-18T08:00:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/1 "2008-07-18T08:00:43Z")
I was wondering where this lounge-lizard saying got it’s start. I found a [YouTube clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqyPd4khh6A&feature=related) of Elvis saying it in 1956. I couldn’t find an ealier version, but my Googlefu is weak. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/2 "2008-07-18T09:31:19Z")
Just a quick answer, though probably not the oldest. From a 1902 newspaper advertisement > [@](#): > > Ever notice how a song will go with an audience if it arouses the memory of a pleasing taste? Take that little song on the New York roof. Goes something like this: "Everybody’s awful good to me, doncher know. etc, etc. If you mean when did entertainers start using that, it might be harder to find. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/3 "2008-07-18T10:10:20Z")
Some things are so common as to not have a single point of origin. I don’t know but, I just want to add that my favorite variation was from a country singer, can no longer remember who: “My next song goes something like this…No, it goes \*exactly \* like this.” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/4 "2008-07-18T17:20:28Z")
[QUOTE=CookingWithGas] Some things are so common as to not have a single point of origin. I don’t know but, I just want to add that my favorite variation was from a country singer, can no longer remember who: “My next song goes something like this…No, it goes \*exactly \* like this.” [/QUOTE] Comic Stephen Wright does that line, exactly like that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/5 "2008-07-18T17:44:52Z")
Grump. That’s \*Steven \* Wright, of course. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/6 "2008-07-18T18:01:05Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t fight the hypothetical] I was wondering where this lounge-lizard saying got it’s start. I found a [YouTube clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqyPd4khh6A&feature=related) of Elvis saying it in 1956. I couldn’t find an ealier version, but my Googlefu is weak. Anyone? [/QUOTE] Elvis use that same line at first appearing at the Louisiana Hayride Show 16th Oct 1954, introducing the newly released _That’s All Right_. It went something like this - I mean, I went exactly like this: Announcer: “Elvis! How are you this evening?” 19 yo Elvis: “Fine! How are you, sir?” “You’re all geared up with your band -” “All geared up?” “Let’s hear you songs -” “Ah - well, I’ll like to say how happy we are to be down here, it’s a real honor for us to be… to get a chance to appear on the Louisiana Hayride… We’re gonna do a song for you… You got anything else to say, sir…?” “Noo, I’m ready.” “We’re gonna do a song for you we got on Sun Records, it goes something like this…” [_That’s All Right_] And then rock’n’roll was born. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-goes-something-like-this-origin/456936/7 "2008-07-18T18:04:15Z")
And what about the (I assume) derivative “It goes a little something like this”? -FrL-