Take it away, Rosedale

[Islander]

This is a saying that goes back at least 60 years, probably more. Someone said it to my radio friend recently and it got him to puzzling about its origin. I Googled it six ways to Sunday but could not find the origin either. So I'm bringing it to this elite audience as a riddle. Can any of you esteemed researchers do better than I or my radio friend?

Take it away, Rosedale!

[Roo]

What does it mean?

[Islander]

From what I've been able to discern so far, it was said by...

• the guest, to his host, about his empty teacup
• a farmer, making hay, to the driver of the hay wagon
• someone, to a bandleader, or maybe the bandleader to a soloist

In other words, I've seen it in a variety of situations and been unable to figure out exactly what it means. Sort of an all-purpose phrase.

[Falcon]

I've never heard the phase before. Is it a generational or regional thing?

[Stubby Boardman]

Originally Posted by Falcon

I've never heard the phase before. Is it a generational or regional thing?

I've never heard it either, and I thought I knew a lot of old expressions from old movies and stuff.

[tunaman]

I've never heard it, either.

[hilarity n. suze]

Far be it from me to say, "Let me google that for you," but there were a couple of references to it (including this very thread, which was #4).

I think I've heard it. In a movie. But it could be right up there with, "That's the beauty of it, it doesn't do anything."

[Lungfish]

Originally Posted by hilarity n. suze

I think I've heard it. In a movie. But it could be right up there with, "That's the beauty of it, it doesn't do anything."

Burgess Meredith says something similar to it in an episode of "Burke's Law" Who Killed 711? (1964): http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ent=img002.flv.

[Islander]

Originally Posted by Falcon

I've never heard the phase before. Is it a generational or regional thing?

My Googling turned up references in Nova Scotia, NJ and I forget the two other places, as well as the one in Maine. It would seem to be generational rather than geographical.

[Redhead]

I found it! R J Reynold's Camel cigarettes sponsored a radio program back in the early 40's, Uncle Ezra's Radio Show. The premise was that Uncle Ezra ran a radio show/station in little Rosedale. The shows would sometimes start out with an announcer who would act as if he were in a big station in a major city and then "throw" control over to Uncle Ezra with "take it away Rosedale". The rest of the show would be Uncle Ezra with his folksy routines with various "family" members and the "Sons of the Pioneers", in between having bands playing popular tunes of the day and they would always work in a Camel commercial. So, there you have it.

[Wolf Larsen]

The Sons Of the Pioneers did a lot of great songs. Thanks for finding that out.

[timbicile]

Where, oh where did Isllander go?

[stormie]

I know I mean I don't know, but I know what you mean.

[timbicile]

Why did she leave us here all alone.
I looked the world over...

[Wozzy]

Sorry for dredging up such an old thread, but I stumbled here while searching for the phrase, "Take it away, Rosedale!"
This was something my late father would say quite frequently, usually when handing over a task, skill, or play activity. The responses here refreshed my memory of my father's explanation. Anyway after reading here, I came across this old script from the Uncle Ezra radio program. You can see the quote yourself on the first scanned page of the 1939 script.

The program was sponsored by Camel cigarettes.

http://tobaccodocuments.org/rjr/514562285-2305.html

Thanks Redhead for finding it.

[toddzirkle]

Hey - my father - born 1929 would use this expression as well and BTW would also say "six-ways-to-Sunday" - the explanation of a radio program seems very likely as he was an avid radio consumer (pre-television) and would make radio references all the time