The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (122 page)
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Why should the DEVIL have all the best tunes?
Many hymns are sung to popular secular melodies; this practice was especially favoured by the Methodists. The expression is commonly attributed to the English evangelist Rowland Hill (1744–1833)
1859
Popular Music
II. 748
The Primitive Methodists .. acting upon the principle of ‘Why should the devil have all the pretty tunes?’ collect the airs which are sung at pot and public houses, and write their hymns to them.
1879
Work amongst Working Men
vi.
If Wesley could not see why the devil should have all the good tunes, still less should we be able to see why he should have all the good amusements.
1933
Letter
29 June in
In Great Tradition
III. 261
Why should the devil have all the fun as well as all the good tunes?
1979
Listener
31 May 748
Kids
(Yorkshire Television) makes sure the devil doesn't have the best tunes; he has hardly a note.
1996
National Review
23 Dec. 6
Not even the rule that the Devil should not have all the best tunes could save ‘Happy Days Are Here Again.’
good and evil
1859Popular Music
II. 748
The Primitive Methodists .. acting upon the principle of ‘Why should the devil have all the pretty tunes?’ collect the airs which are sung at pot and public houses, and write their hymns to them.
1879
Work amongst Working Men
vi.
If Wesley could not see why the devil should have all the good tunes, still less should we be able to see why he should have all the good amusements.
1933
Letter
29 June in
In Great Tradition
III. 261
Why should the devil have all the fun as well as all the good tunes?
1979
Listener
31 May 748
Kids
(Yorkshire Television) makes sure the devil doesn't have the best tunes; he has hardly a note.
1996
National Review
23 Dec. 6
Not even the rule that the Devil should not have all the best tunes could save ‘Happy Days Are Here Again.’
good and evil
The DEVIL is in the details
1978Washington Post
8 July C7
There is an old German saying .. that the devil is in the details.
1990
Automotive News
5 Mar. 1
Many issues remain unresolved. As one .. official put it, ‘the devil is in the details, and we don't know what those details are yet.’
1998
New Scientist
10 Jan. 43/2
Positron Emission Tomography scans measure blood flow to areas, missing fine detail, and the mathematical devil lies in the details.
great and smallThe DEVIL is not so black as he is painted
Cf. late 15th-cent. Fr.
toutesfois n'est il pas sy deable qu'il est noir
, a man is not always as devilish as he is black.
1534
Dialogue of Comfort
(1553) III. xxii.
Some saye in sporte, and thinke in earnest: The devill is not so blacke as he is painted.
1642
Instructions for Foreign Travel
xiv.
The Devill is not so black as he is painted, no more are these Noble Nations and Townes as they are tainted.
1834
Peter Simple
II. x.
Fear kills more people than the yellow fever … The devil's not half so black as he's painted.
1928
Bohemian Life in Paris
xi.
Even if we admit that the devil is as black as he is painted, we cannot admit that everybody is a devil.
1953
Pocket full of Rye
xxiii.
Lance patted her on the arm. ‘You didn't believe the devil was as black as he was painted? Well, perhaps he wasn't.’
good and evil
;
reputation
toutesfois n'est il pas sy deable qu'il est noir
, a man is not always as devilish as he is black.
1534Dialogue of Comfort
(1553) III. xxii.
Some saye in sporte, and thinke in earnest: The devill is not so blacke as he is painted.
1642
Instructions for Foreign Travel
xiv.
The Devill is not so black as he is painted, no more are these Noble Nations and Townes as they are tainted.
1834
Peter Simple
II. x.
Fear kills more people than the yellow fever … The devil's not half so black as he's painted.
1928
Bohemian Life in Paris
xi.
Even if we admit that the devil is as black as he is painted, we cannot admit that everybody is a devil.
1953
Pocket full of Rye
xxiii.
Lance patted her on the arm. ‘You didn't believe the devil was as black as he was painted? Well, perhaps he wasn't.’
good and evil;
reputation
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