# Question on the origin of a saying

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-the-origin-of-a-saying/432983>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 10, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-the-origin-of-a-saying/432983 "2008-01-10T14:38:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Howie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Captain\_Howie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Howie)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-the-origin-of-a-saying/432983/1 "2008-01-10T14:38:36Z")

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In western PA older folks often say “it was snowing to beat the band.”

I have heard this since I was a kid and obviously understand what it means but have been unable to discover the origin. Anyone know? Thanks

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**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-the-origin-of-a-saying/432983/2 "2008-01-10T14:49:47Z")

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[This](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-bea2.htm) may be of interest.

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**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-the-origin-of-a-saying/432983/3 "2008-01-10T14:50:54Z")

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[QUOTE=Captain Howie]  
In western PA older folks often say “it was snowing to beat the band.”

I have heard this since I was a kid and obviously understand what it means but have been unable to discover the origin. Anyone know? Thanks  
[/QUOTE]

It comes from playing music loudly enough to drown out the rest of the band.

Here’s OED, with definition and first cite.

> [@](#):
>
> band, n, 3
> 
> b. Colloq. phrases: when the band begins to play, when matters become serious; to **beat the band** , lit. so as to drown the noise made by the band; hence, to exceed, surpass, or beat everything.
> 
> 1897 C. M. FLANDRAU Harvard Episodes 223, I was on the box-seat driving, you know,lickety-split, to beat the band.