'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?

Subject: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 10:47 AM

Just wondering if anyone knew where and when the name was first used?

Thanks,

Ed

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:13 AM

Never heard of it.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:16 AM

I've never heard the phrase either but, interestingly, in Juneau, Alaska there is a 'Bobb Family Band'. (None of its members are related to each other.) Do you suppose they have heard of 'Bobness'?

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Amos
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:27 AM

It's a sarcastic derivation from the use of formal address such as "your highness" or "your holiness" or "your worship"--all hangovers fromt he authoritarian hierarchies of the Middle AGes, I think.    It might have been born from a marriage between these archaic forms and the wonderful Irish habit of referring to someone as "himself", but that's just speculation. I doubt you will find any hard data on point of origin, as it's the kind of colloquialism that often springs up from multiple points when the time is ripe.

A

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:48 AM

We tend to refer to one of our cats as "Her Royal Behindness." Same kind of humor in effect.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:49 AM

I've a sneaking suspicion that the phrase was invented by the editorial staff of 'Q' magazine back in the 1980s.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:52 AM

I have seen this expression before, and I'm pretty sure I've seen it here, at Mudcat. I wouldn't be surprised if the person who first used it here was the first to use it anywhere.

Amos summed it up pretty well. He was correct in using the adjective "sarcastic" in his first sentence. His secondary point, the relationship to the Hiberno-English "himself," is something that had not previously occurred to me, but which seems absolutely spot-on.

A similar expression, also one I first encountered here at Mudcat (and perhaps only here), is "The Bob," capital T, capital B.

Even among those of us who love Bob's works and do not feel compelled to minimize his contributions or to ciriticize his voice or whatever, a bit of irrevereance or sarcasm about the cult of personality that surrounds him often feels appropriate. His Bobness Himself undoubtedly enjoys letting the air out of that balloon whenever possible.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST,ESAM
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 12:02 PM

Are we talking about the Bobble formerly known as the Zimmerframe Man?

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Amos
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 12:09 PM

Bob handles it well -- if you drool on him, he hands you his thousand-yard stare.


A

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 12:14 PM

From the replies, I think this has it's origin in the UK.

Geoff Wallis' 1980s 'Rockular' Q is probably about right.

Is this the same time that Van Morrison became 'the man'?

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST,Trev
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 01:01 PM

Nothing to do with Blockbusters and Bob Holness, by any chance?

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 02:53 PM

Anything to do with the British general Lord Roberts who was known as Bobs,

Here is William McGonagall's rather topical tribute to him:

General Roberts in Afghanistan

'Twas in the year of 1878, and. the winter had set in,
Lord Roberts and the British Army their march did begin,
On their way to Afghanistan to a place called Cabul;
And the weather was bitter cold and the rivers swollen and full.

And the enemy were posted high up amongst the hills,
And when they saw the British, with fear their blood thrills;
The savages were camped on the hillsides in war array,
And occupying a strong position which before the British lay.

And viewed from the front their position was impregnable,
But Lord Roberts was a general of great skill;
Therefore to surprise the enemy he thought it was right,
To march upon the enemy in the dead of night.

Then the men were mustered without delay,
And each man of them was eager for the fray;
And in the silent darkness they felt no dismay,
And to attack the enemy they marched boldly away.

And on they marched bravely without fear or doubt,
And about daybreak the challenge of an Afghan sentinel rang out,
And echoed from rock to rock on the frosty biting air;
But the challenge didn't the British scare.

Then the Highlanders attacked them left and right,
And oh! it was a gorgeoua and an inspiring sight;
For a fierce hand to hand struggle raged for a time,
While the pibrochs skirled aloud, oh! the scene was sublime.

Then the Ghoorkas did the Afghans fiercely attack,
And at every point and turning they were driven back;
And a fierce hand to hand struggle raged for a time,
While in the morning sunshine the British bayonets did shine.

And around the ridge or knoll the battle raged for three hours,
And British bullets fell amongst them in showers;
For Captain Kelso brought us his mountain battery,
And sent his shells right into the camp of the enemy,
Then the left of the Afghans was turned, and began to flee.

Meanwhile, on the enemy's strong position Lord Roberts launched an attack,
And from their position they could hardly be driven back
Because the Afghans were hid amongst the woods and hills,
Still with undaunted courage, the British blood thrills.

And the Afghans pressed the British hotly, but they didn't give way,
For the 8th Ghoorkas and the 72nd kept them at bay;
And the mountain guns shells upon them did fire,
Then the 8th Punjaub, bounding up the heights, made them retire.

Then Major White seized a rifle from one of his men and did retire,
And levelled the piece fearlessly and did fire;
And with a steady and well-timed shot
He shot the Afghan leader dead on the spot.

Then the British with a wild cheer dashed, at them,
And on each side around they did them hem;
And at the bayonet charge they drove them down the hill,
And in hundreds they did them kill.

Then in a confused mass they fled down the opposite side of the hill
In hundreds,driven by sheer force sore against their will;
And helter-skelter they did run,
For all their positions were carried and the victory won.

Then on the 8th of August again Lord Roberts' march began
For to fight the rebel Ayoob Khan;
And with an army about seven thousand strong
On his way to Candahar he fearlessly marched along.

And the battle that followed at Candahar was a complete victory,
And Lord Roberts' march to Candahar stands unrivalled in history;
And let's thank God that sent Lord Roberts to conquer Ayoob Khan,
For from that time there's been no more war in Afghanistan.

Success to Lord Roberts; he's a very brave man,
For he conquered the Afghans in Afghanistan,
With an army about seven thousand strong,
He spread death and desolation all along.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 02:58 PM

I seem to recall Van the Man in use on The Last Waltz and I think the late 70s NME (UK) inaugurated The Bobness thing.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Amos
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 03:28 PM

That poem is deeply disgusting.


A

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:23 PM

Maybe the original was "Bob" from the Church of the Subgenius?

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: John Routledge
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:26 PM

Baez and Dylan were described as The Queen and His Bobness when they visited a London UK Folk club in the 60's - Queens Head ?

Dont know what date this description was applied or how accurate the information is.

Confirmation or otherwise please.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: bankley
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:31 PM

and two years later The British got their asses kicked at the battle of Maiwand.... the 66th Foot made their last stand with a dog named 'Bobbie' at their feet...



Bob's your uncle......

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: JennieG
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 03:26 AM

'Bob' is another word for curtsy - perhaps someone is intending (jokingly I hope!) that we should bob our heads to His Bobness?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: glueman
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 04:27 AM

"Maybe the original was "Bob" from the Church of the Subgenius?"

Same thought as me Jack. Dylan's role as 'spokesperson for a generation' leant him the odour of sanctity which was passed onto Geldof for his charity work.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Big Tim
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 05:24 AM

I've followed Dylan's career closely since '63 and the first time that I saw the term used was in 'Q' magazine, probably in the 80s. There were a lot of Dylan fans on the mag at the time (in every interview of other musicians, always asked was 'what do you think of Bob Dylan'). So they were Dylan fans - but they had to be 'cool' and just a tad 'irreverent', so they came up with a great monicker, His Bobness.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST,Betsy at work
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 07:02 AM

Could be referring to the Meglomaniac and the person who "destroyed " the Daily Mirror Pension Scheme (+/-$1,000M ) Robert Maxwell.
Known as Cap'n Bob in Private Eye - could have been something else in Q magazine.
Otherwise I haven't heard it in common usage.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Big Tim
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 11:06 AM

In 'Q', the phrase was only used when discussing Dylan. So we know it's about Dylan, the question is when and where did it originate.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Peace
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 11:30 AM

I don't have any idea where or when it originated, but I find it to be quite stupid as an 'expression'. Ugly in fact. IMO.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: Big Tim
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 02:56 PM

I think it's a very clever expression. For me, it's saying that Dylan is very special, 'king-like', but at the same time reminding us that he is also human. It may also reflect Dylan's view of himself as being better than anyone else.

As the recent [London] Times article said, 'there's playwrights and then there's Shakespeare. There's songwriters and then there's Dylan'. His Bobness!

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST,Martin Farrell
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 03:27 PM

Definetly Q magazine. They've always celebrated Dylans eccentricities with a great sense of humour.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: M.Ted
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 07:28 PM

Having read what Dylan has to say about himself, it is fairly clear that he doesn't want to be "His Bobness" and never thought of himself as "His", "Her", or "Your" Bobness.

I think using the phrase journalistically is way of talking about Dylan without actually saying anything about him.   

This is probably a shrewd trick on the part of journalists, who have a history of getting Dylan wrong, and want to avoid the whole "Something is happening here, and you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones?" thing-

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 07:33 PM

"Maybe the original was "Bob" from the Church of the Subgenius?"

Maybe that was modelled on the other Bob...

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 11:34 AM

He was called "His Bobness" from old, way before the Church of the Subgenius. It was probably something his friend Bobby Neuwirth called him. Certainly it was coined back in the Warhol days of the early '60's by someone in his then-retinue.

Subject: RE: 'His Bobness' Origin of the phrase?
From: GMGough
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 12:53 PM

If my memory serves me well - then I first read the phrase in something written about Dylan by John Bauldie. John worked at Q Magazine...