freek@fwi.uva.nl (Freek Wiedijk) (12/24/89)
I know that WYSIWYG means that what you see on the screen is what you'll get on paper when you print it. I know that it is an abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) that this phrase comes from some popular song. My question is: from which song did the phrase "what you see is what you get" come? Just curious... -- Freek "the Pistol Major" Wiedijk Path: uunet!fwi.uva.nl!freek #P:+/ = #+/P?*+/ = i<<*+/P?*+/ = +/i<<**P?*+/ = +/(i<<*P?)*+/ = +/+/(i<<*P?)**
eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) (12/25/89)
In <351@fwi.uva.nl> Freek Wiedijk wrote: > I know that [WYSIWYG] is an > abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) > that this phrase comes from some popular song. I'm not dead sure, but I *think* the phrase occurred in a lyric which began thus: If you want it / here it is, come and get it But you better hurry 'cause it's going fast If you want it / here it is, come and get it But you better hurry 'cause it may not last Did I hear you say that there must be a catch? What was it they said about a fool and his money... couple with a simple, pretty, Beatles-esque melody by a group called the Badfinger back around 1970. I never knew the official title but the piece and the group were once favorites of mine. Their sound was remarkably crisp and nicely engineered for the period (like, for example, the Guess Who) and they've worn well over the years. Unfortunately the group itself faded from view after about '73. Does anyone know more for sure? -- Eric S. Raymond = eric@snark.uu.net (mad mastermind of TMN-Netnews)
sharon@asylum.SF.CA.US (Sharon Fisher) (12/26/89)
In article <1TvfrT#4xr7gM=eric@snark.uu.net> eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: >In <351@fwi.uva.nl> Freek Wiedijk wrote: >> I know that [WYSIWYG] is an >> abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) >> that this phrase comes from some popular song. > >I'm not dead sure, but I *think* the phrase occurred in a lyric which began >thus: > > If you want it / here it is, come and get it > But you better hurry 'cause it's going fast No, there really is a song that may well be called "What you see is what you get." It was probably in the 70s and was done by a group like, say, the O'Jays or Ohio Players or something.
brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (12/26/89)
To the best of my knowledge, it comes not from a song, but from a skit on laugh-in that was repeated a few times. I think it was part of the routine of some commedienne, and some other comics picked it up. (Flip Wilson, perhaps?) Tina Turner recently did a song called "What you get is what you see." -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
paul@hp-sdd.hp.com (Paul K Johnson) (12/26/89)
In article <1TvfrT#4xr7gM=eric@snark.uu.net>, eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: > In <351@fwi.uva.nl> Freek Wiedijk wrote: > > I know that [WYSIWYG] is an > > abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) > > that this phrase comes from some popular song. > > I'm not dead sure, but I *think* the phrase occurred in a lyric which began > thus: > > If you want it / here it is, come and get it > But you better hurry 'cause it's going fast > If you want it / here it is, come and get it > But you better hurry 'cause it may not last > Did I hear you say that there must be a catch? > What was it they said about a fool and his money... These are the entire lyrics of the song "Come and Get it", although they are repeated a few times. Pretty sure of this, I just pulled it out and listened to it. I *do* very vaguely remember the song in question though (I think). It had a very Motown sound to it, and I think it was done by the same group that did "Backstabbers". The main chorus went something like: What you see, is what you get, <something> <something> the best thing yet. Can't pull out any more at the moment. :-( > Does anyone know more for sure? Money back guarantee! > -- > Eric S. Raymond = eric@snark.uu.net (mad mastermind of TMN-Netnews) paul johnson
jacob@gore.com (Jacob Gore) (12/26/89)
/ comp.text.desktop / brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) / Dec 25, 1989 /
> Tina Turner recently did a song called "What you get is what you see."
The words "what you get is what you see" appeared in a song in the movie
_Jesus Christ Superstar_.
Jacob
--
Jacob Gore Jacob@Gore.Com boulder!gore!jacobroberson@esquire.UUCP (Kevin D. Roberson) (12/26/89)
What you see is what you get ... A pre-disco recording and release by a group called "The Dramatics" circa 1971. I'm pretty sure it made the top 10 on the R&B charts. However, the phrase "What you see is what you get" was first made popular by Flip Wilson by his character "Geraldine". That had to be around 1968 or so. (Gee, am I dating myself or What????) KDR
pc@ukc.ac.uk (R.P.A.Collinson) (12/27/89)
In article <1TvfrT#4xr7gM=eric@snark.uu.net> eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: > If you want it / here it is, come and get it But you better hurry 'cause it's going fast If you want it / here it is, come and get it But you better hurry 'cause it may not last Did I hear you say that there must be a catch? What was it they said about a fool and his money... Was this not a theme song from a film at the time. Was it the Michael Caine one with the minis and the robbery in Italy (Venice??)? I forget the title.
tomd@retix.retix.COM (Tom Dietz) (12/28/89)
In article <1TvfrT#4xr7gM=eric@snark.uu.net> eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: >In <351@fwi.uva.nl> Freek Wiedijk wrote: >> I know that [WYSIWYG] is an >> abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) >> that this phrase comes from some popular song. > Oingo Boingo had a song a few years ago that I believe was entitled "What You See (is what you get)". I could be wrong about the title, but they definitely use the complete phrase. Tom Dietz "This is my art, and it is dangerous" -Delia Dietz in Beetlejuice
howeird@hpwrce.HP.COM (Howard Stateman) (12/28/89)
eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: >I'm not dead sure, but I *think* the phrase occurred in a lyric which began >thus: > >If you want it / here it is, come and get it >But you better hurry 'cause it's going fast >Does anyone know more for sure? >[and stuff about it being Beatle-esque by Badfinger and well-engineered] No, WYSIWIG is not in this song, which is the "Theme from the Magic Christian" according to the single I have of it. No wonder it sounds like Beatles, it was the first non-Beatle 45 put out on their Apple (eat your heart out, Scully) label. ...................................................................... . Howard Stateman | I knew French was a language by age 6. . . howeird@hpwrce.HP.COM | At 19 I discovered it was also a tongue. . . hplabs!hpwrce!howeird |............................................. . [Not an HP spokesman] | Anatomically Correct BBS (415) 967-4265 . ......................................................................
jones@optilink.UUCP (Marvin Jones) (12/28/89)
In article <1TvfrT#4xr7gM=eric@snark.uu.net>, eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: > In <351@fwi.uva.nl> Freek Wiedijk wrote: > > I know that [WYSIWYG] is an > > abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) > > that this phrase comes from some popular song. > > I'm not dead sure, but I *think* the phrase occurred in a lyric which began > thus: > > If you want it / here it is, come and get it Nope. This tune is just called "Come And Get It". I also remember the WYSIWYG song, but can't recall the details. I believe it was an American soul group, along the lines of the O'Jays or something. (Boy, is this dredging up some memories!) Around the early '70's, I think. Hope this triggers someone elses brain cells! Regards, -- Marvin Jones uucp: {pyramid, tekbspa}!optilink!jones Optilink Corp. bell-net: 707-795-9444 X 206 Petaluma, CA CI$: 71320,3637
seeger@manatee.cis.ufl.edu (F. L. Charles Seeger III) (12/28/89)
In article <1333@ukc> pc@ukc.ac.uk (R.P.A.Collinson) writes: |In article <1TvfrT#4xr7gM=eric@snark.uu.net> eric@snark.uu.net (Eric S. Raymond) writes: |> | If you want it / here it is, come and get it | But you better hurry 'cause it's going fast | If you want it / here it is, come and get it | But you better hurry 'cause it may not last | Did I hear you say that there must be a catch? | What was it they said about a fool and his money... | |Was this not a theme song from a film at the time. Was it the Michael Caine |one with the minis and the robbery in Italy (Venice??)? I forget the title. As I wrote to Eric via Email: | That's from the Magic Christian soundtrack album (what? you haven't seen the | movie with Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr?). I would have to check the album | to be sure of the song title. The group broke up in '75 (I believe) after | Pete Ham committed suicide. The remnants reunited about '79 and did a rather | disco-y album. They played at a club here in Gaineville a couple of years | ago, apparently releasing an album that I've never seen (one of their new | songs was "Vampire Wedding"). I sure hope their old stuff will come out | on CD sometime. Pete was the guitarist backing up George Harrison in the | Concert for Bangladesh film, and he was the real talent in the group. Joey | Molland isn't a bad performer, but he's not is the same league as a writer. | They were know as the only officially (by the Beatles themselves) sanctioned | Beatles rip-off group, but I liked them a lot. | | BTW, I don't recall the phrase "what you see is what you get" being in that | song. Could be wrong, though. Follow ups to rec.music.misc or rec.arts.movies, please. Chuck -- Charles Seeger E301 CSE Building +1 904 335 8053 CIS Department University of Florida seeger@ufl.edu Gainesville, FL 32611
usul@auc.UUCP (Ron McBay ) (12/29/89)
>> In <351@fwi.uva.nl> Freek Wiedijk wrote: >> > I know that [WYSIWYG] is an >> > abbreviation of the phrase "what you see is what you get". I know (?) >> > that this phrase comes from some popular song. The song WAS called "What You See Is What You Get". I was thinking it was by the Friends Of Distinction or some other type band. But it WASN'T an original phrase when that song came out. I'm pretty sure that Flip Wilson originated the phrase on Laugh-In when he did his Geraldine character. Here are some lyrics I can remember: Some people are made of plastic Some people are made of wood Some people have hearts of stone (?) Some people are up to no good But baby, I'm for real (?) I'm as real as real can get ... 'Cause what you see is what you get. A great song as I recall. That's all I can recall at the moment. Maybe this helps jog a few memories out there in net-land. -- Ron McBay ...!{gatech,emory}!auc!usul -- Ron McBay I'm trying to tell you something about my life Atlanta University Center Maybe give me insight between black and white UUCP: ...{emory,gatech}!auc!usul -- CLOSER TO FINE INTERNET: usul%auc.UUCP@mathcs.emory.edu INDIGO GIRLS
wombat@claris.com (Scott Lindsey) (12/29/89)
In article <3023@hp-sdd.hp.com> paul@hp-sdd.hp.com (Paul K Johnson) writes: > What you see, is what you get, > <something> <something> the best thing yet. > Can't pull out any more at the moment. :-( That sounds quite a bit like a line out of _Jesus Christ Superstar_, from the song "The Temple". In context: Take your pick from the finest wine, Lay your bets on this bird of mine, What you see is what you get, No one's been disappointed yet, Don't be scared, give me a try, there is nothing you can't buy... ... but this is probably just a tangent that no one else had in mine. Personally, I think that the phrase WYSIWYG is much older than any of this... while Flip Wilson *did* popularize it as Geraldine, I think it antedates him, simply as a consumer catch-phrase, like dime-a-dozen or "the whole 9 yards". Scott Lindsey |"Cold and misty morning. I heard a warning borne in the air Claris Corp. | About an age of power when no one had an hour to spare" ames!claris!wombat| DISCLAIMER: These are not the opinions of Claris, Apple, wombat@claris.com | StyleWare, the author, or anyone else living or Dead.
komatsu@aludra.usc.edu (-----> Dave) (01/02/90)
In article <1693@esquire.UUCP> roberson@esquire.UUCP (Kevin D. Roberson) writes: >What you see is what you get ... > >A pre-disco recording and release by a group called "The Dramatics" circa >1971. I'm pretty sure it made the top 10 on the R&B charts. > >However, the phrase "What you see is what you get" was first made popular by >Flip Wilson by his character "Geraldine". That had to be around 1968 or so. > I can't seem to find the original post (my new program ate it) but I believe the song that contains WYSIWYG is DESIRE by Gene Loves Jezebel Lyrics I remember.... Sugar I've been missing you and I don't know where it is that you've been hiding I'm in a ball of fire in your arms desire and I've been wondering where it is you're hiding What you get is what you see... Desire ----------------------------------------------------------------------- komatsu@aludra.usc.edu | "WYSIWYG" -- Gene Loves Jezebel -----------------------------------------------------------------------