A: Hoffnung definitely precedid The Sick Note, but the joke was considerably older than either.

B: The final line of WOAD is the subject of mild controversy. Hickerson sang it as W-O-A-D, Woad! which loses the internal thyme; "Go it, ancient B's" fits the rhyme scheme, but is (IMO) feeble. Back in te early 50's, I heard it as "Bollocks to the breeze!" which I vastly prefer.

(dick greenhaus)