8 Comments
User's avatar
David Perlmutter's avatar

You mentioning "palisades" triggered my memory regarding this rock and roll classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioiamja6ydI

Andrew Smith's avatar

Nice. I saw the "Chuck Barris" on the 7" record and thought it might be a typo, but nope! I'm not sure I've ever heard this one.

David Perlmutter's avatar

Barris wrote the song.

It was about an actual amusement park in New Jersey. It made the Billboard top 10 in 1962.

Andrew Sniderman 🕷️'s avatar

The other famous 'Pale' is The Pale of Settlement in Western Russia where Jews were ostracized and subject to pogroms (now there's a word for raping and pillaging!), couldn't hold land, etc. that's where my dad's family came from. Millions of Jews fled to the US in the early 1900s to escape.

Andrew Smith's avatar

Wow, that's some incredible adversity. It really defines who you are, and who your family is today. Not only is this linguistically interesting, but it's also very personal for you. I love this type of tale and connection.

Brian's avatar

Today soldiers use "wire" in a similar fashion - staying "inside the wire" and going "outside the wire".

Andrew Smith's avatar

I got my hopes up about the TV show "The Wire" having a similar meaning, but it's just about sending a signal. :-/