"Hey, Rube!" is a slang phrase most commonly used in the United States by circus and traveling carnival workers ("carnies"), with origins in the middle 19th century. It is a rallying call, or a cry for help, used by carnies in a fight with outsiders. It is also sometimes used to refer to such a fight: "The clown got a black eye in a Hey, Rube."[1]
1891 sheet music for "Hey Rube!! or, A Day at the Circus"
In the early days of circuses in America (c. 1800–1860), it was very common for circus folk to get into fights with the locals as they travelled from town to town.[1] Circuses were rowdy, loud, and often lewd affairs, where country people could gather, blow off steam, and voice political views. Mark Twain's classic description of a circus and other shows in his 1884 novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn provides illustration. It was a rare show that did not include at least some violence, and this often involved the members of the circus.
When a carnie was attacked or in trouble, he would yell "Hey, Rube!" and all carnies within earshot would rush to his aid. Circus pioneer and legendary clown Dan Rice called it "a terrible cry, [meaning] as no other expression in the language does, that a fierce deadly fight is on, that men who are far away from home [travelling circus workers] must band together in a struggle that means life or death to them."[1] "Hey, Rube!" is still the safety phrase used by many modern theatrical performers to alert security of a violent audience member, especially in outdoor or festival environments where entertainers are in close proximity with large numbers of intoxicated patrons.
The origin of the expression can be traced to 1848 when a member of Dan Rice's troupe was attacked at a New Orleans dance house. That man yelled to his friend, named "Reuben", who rushed to his aid.[1] Another potential explanation is that the name "Rube" is a slang term for country folk (e.g., "Rustic Reubens"), usually shortened to "rubes".
The Oxford English Dictionary's first entry for "Hey, Rube!" is from 1882, in the ChicagoTimes (3 Dec. Suppl. 12/4): "A canvasman watching a tent is just like a man watching his home. He'll fight in a minute if the outsider cuts the canvas, and if a crowd comes to quarrel he will yell, ‘Hey Rube!’ That's the circus rallying cry, and look out for war when you hear it."
The term is still known and used today in circuses, but usually as an allusion to the "glory days" when circuses were rowdy affairs, rather than in actual fights.[1]
Other usesedit
Hey, Rube! was the title of a 1921 American silent comedy short film starring Bobby Vernon and Helen Darling.
During World War II, "Hey Rube!" was the open-microphone radio call issued by Combat Air Directors on American aircraft carriers to alert USN fighters to prepare to defend a task force from enemy air-attack.[2]
The phrase (or a shortened version, "Rube!") is regularly used in the Family D'Alembert novels by Stephen Goldin: typically as a code word to alert of imminent danger. The use of the phrase comes from the titular family's cover work as a circus family.
During the 1980s the United States Navy conducted a periodic electronic warfare exercise code-named Hey Rube.[3][4][5]
An organization in the 1970s and 1980s that advocated for street performers' rights.[citation needed]
^ abcdeEmerson, Ken; Carlyon, David (2001). "Ch 20: "Hey, Rube!"". Dan Rice: The Most Famous Man You've Never Heard Of. New York: Public Affairs. p. 204. ISBN1-891620-57-6.
^Morison, Samuel Eliot (1989) [1953]. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: Vollume Eight - New Guinea and the Marianas March 1944 - August 1944. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 263. LCCN 53-7298.
^Charles B. Everett; Moss Dewindt; Shane McDade (1997). . Sun Tzu and Information Warfare: A Collection of Winning Papers from the Sun Tzu Art of War in Information Warfare Competition. National Defense University. Institute for National Strategic Studies. Archived from the original on 2007-06-18. Alt URL
^S. E. Curtis (October 15, 1981). (PDF). Department of the Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-20.
^J. A. Reaghard (September 29, 1987). (PDF). Department of the Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-20.
rube, 1928, silent, film, rube, british, band, british, band, slang, phrase, most, commonly, used, united, states, circus, traveling, carnival, workers, carnies, with, origins, middle, 19th, century, rallying, call, help, used, carnies, fight, with, outsiders,. For the 1928 silent film see Hey Rube For the British band see Hey Rube British band Hey Rube is a slang phrase most commonly used in the United States by circus and traveling carnival workers carnies with origins in the middle 19th century It is a rallying call or a cry for help used by carnies in a fight with outsiders It is also sometimes used to refer to such a fight The clown got a black eye in a Hey Rube 1 1891 sheet music for Hey Rube or A Day at the Circus In the early days of circuses in America c 1800 1860 it was very common for circus folk to get into fights with the locals as they travelled from town to town 1 Circuses were rowdy loud and often lewd affairs where country people could gather blow off steam and voice political views Mark Twain s classic description of a circus and other shows in his 1884 novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn provides illustration It was a rare show that did not include at least some violence and this often involved the members of the circus When a carnie was attacked or in trouble he would yell Hey Rube and all carnies within earshot would rush to his aid Circus pioneer and legendary clown Dan Rice called it a terrible cry meaning as no other expression in the language does that a fierce deadly fight is on that men who are far away from home travelling circus workers must band together in a struggle that means life or death to them 1 Hey Rube is still the safety phrase used by many modern theatrical performers to alert security of a violent audience member especially in outdoor or festival environments where entertainers are in close proximity with large numbers of intoxicated patrons The origin of the expression can be traced to 1848 when a member of Dan Rice s troupe was attacked at a New Orleans dance house That man yelled to his friend named Reuben who rushed to his aid 1 Another potential explanation is that the name Rube is a slang term for country folk e g Rustic Reubens usually shortened to rubes The Oxford English Dictionary s first entry for Hey Rube is from 1882 in the Chicago Times 3 Dec Suppl 12 4 A canvasman watching a tent is just like a man watching his home He ll fight in a minute if the outsider cuts the canvas and if a crowd comes to quarrel he will yell Hey Rube That s the circus rallying cry and look out for war when you hear it The term is still known and used today in circuses but usually as an allusion to the glory days when circuses were rowdy affairs rather than in actual fights 1 Other uses editHey Rube was the title of a 1921 American silent comedy short film starring Bobby Vernon and Helen Darling During World War II Hey Rube was the open microphone radio call issued by Combat Air Directors on American aircraft carriers to alert USN fighters to prepare to defend a task force from enemy air attack 2 American author Hunter S Thompson 1937 2005 wrote a web sports column called Hey Rube for ESPN Page 2 which was later compiled into a book called Hey Rube Blood Sport the Bush Doctrine and the Downward Spiral of Dumbness Modern History from the Sports Desk 2005 The phrase or a shortened version Rube is regularly used in the Family D Alembert novels by Stephen Goldin typically as a code word to alert of imminent danger The use of the phrase comes from the titular family s cover work as a circus family During the 1980s the United States Navy conducted a periodic electronic warfare exercise code named Hey Rube 3 4 5 An organization in the 1970s and 1980s that advocated for street performers rights citation needed In the Dungeons amp Dragons role playing adventure module The Keep on the Borderlands 1979 the goblin enemies shout the phrase Bree Yark when they attack The author Gary Gygax indicated that this translated as Hey Rube 6 See also editDog whistle politics References edit a b c d e Emerson Ken Carlyon David 2001 Ch 20 Hey Rube Dan Rice The Most Famous Man You ve Never Heard Of New York Public Affairs p 204 ISBN 1 891620 57 6 Morison Samuel Eliot 1989 1953 History of United States Naval Operations in World War II Vollume Eight New Guinea and the Marianas March 1944 August 1944 Boston Little Brown and Company p 263 LCCN 53 7298 Charles B Everett Moss Dewindt Shane McDade 1997 Ch 2 The Silicon Spear An Assessment Of Information Based Warfare IBW And U S National Security Sun Tzu and Information Warfare A Collection of Winning Papers from the Sun Tzu Art of War in Information Warfare Competition National Defense University Institute for National Strategic Studies Archived from the original on 2007 06 18 Alt URL S E Curtis October 15 1981 Command History for Calendar Year 1980 OPNAVINST 5750 12C VAW 113 PDF Department of the Navy Archived from the original PDF on 2012 10 20 J A Reaghard September 29 1987 Command History for Calendar Year 1986 OPNAVINST 5750 12C VAW 116 PDF Department of the Navy Archived from the original PDF on 2012 10 20 Gygax Gary 1979 The Keep on the Borderlands TSR Inc p 16 ISBN 0 935696 47 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hey Rube amp oldid 1174332411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
