Where did this haunting tune (and knocking rhythym) come from, such as when knocking on a door? How is it so well known? - Jinx
Here’s a discussion on the rhythm which might help.
That litte bit from the Roger Rabbit movie gave me nightmares.
Previous thread which might help
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53554&highlight=shave+haircut
Cecil perhaps covered in one of his books.
Any reason why the ditty is supposedly the most offensive thing you could do around someone of Hispanic origin? When I lived in New Mexico, I was often told “never knock ‘Shave and a Haircut’ when there’s Mexicans around, even if it’s unintentional.”
The only explanation I got was that I sounded similar to the cadance used when you say “chinga tu madre.” If that was the case, though, then why isn’t knocking twice offensive to Anglophones, since it each knock could be a syllable in the phrase “fuck you?”
For all you non-Spanish speakers, that means “Yessir, Boss.”
(I used to work with Puerto Ricans, and that’s what they’d always say when I told 'em to do something.)
Then I can understand their disquiet in hearing that rhythm. The subservient thing, and all that.
Everyone deserves a little dignity.
Couldn’t every rhythm be interpreted as saying thousands of things in any language?
How about;
This means nothing, at all!
My nose itches, please scratch!
Rain on Tuesdays, wet ground!
Cat breath smells like, cat food!
What makes it such an obvious reference to subservience?
My ex-roommate had gotten pretty good at Spanish, having spent about a year in South and Central America. He then once asked a Mex-American friend about the Shave-and-a-Haircut rhythm, after he forgot and used it to knock on the friend’s door. The mother of the house rushed to the door to see who the low-class hooligan was.
All the friend would tell him was, “You don’t really want to know”. He decided that then he probably really didn’t. He still doesn’t know.
heh.