http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7811749
Hell or high water
Meaning
Any great difficulty or obstacle.
Origin
The derivation of this phrase isn't well-understood. It doesn't appear to allude to any particular thing or event. It it most probably just an impressive-sounding alliterative phrase that refers to things that are obviously difficult to overcome. It is American and appears in many U. S. sources before the first citation elsewhere - which isn't until 1915.
The earliest American reference I can find is from the Iowa newspaper The Burlington Weekly Hawk Eye, from May 1882. This piece, in what Mel Brooks might call 'authentic frontier gibberish', is a reprint from 'The Little Rock Gazette'.
"Since dat time de best ob my friends hab become enemies, an' strangers hab become friends. De debil had brook loose in many parts ob de country, an' keepin' up wid de ole sayin', we've had unrevised hell and high water - an'a mighty heap ob high-water I tell yer."
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Ready for charts
Retire any song from the charts to promote other songs. You have 20 active and 0 retired songs.
Main Genres
Only your best peforming song is charting in a genre.
highest everDefying The Odds 608855
# 49 in Classical (highest position was 49). Total songs: 28,930
# 10 in Classical General (highest position was 10). Total songs: 9,844
highest everSouthern Medival Castle
# 122 in Jazz (highest position was 122). Total songs: 29,784
# 27 in Jazz General (highest position was 27). Total songs: 6,679
highest everratsass' badass
# 181 in Blues (highest position was 181). Total songs: 35,390
# 68 in Blues General (highest position was 68). Total songs: 14,995
The Side of MJ Nobody Knew
# 487 in Rock (highest position was 120). Total songs: 179,263
# 105 in Rock General (highest position was 47). Total songs: 37,292
Robbin the Train At Noon
# 692 in Acoustic (highest position was 162). Total songs: 123,282
# 190 in Acoustic General (highest position was 20). Total songs: 28,080
The Outcast
# 2,096 in Instrumentals (highest position was 1,904). Total songs: 925,080
# 130 in Jazzy Beats (highest position was 122). Total songs: 5,829
Sub-genres
You had even stronger songs for the main genre, but these songs show up in their sub-genres
Hell or High Water
# 21 in Cover Songs (highest position was 21). Total songs: 9,844
Last Piece Of Pound Cake
# 121 in Country Blues (highest position was 121). Total songs: 9,844
Do You Need A Ticket 101770
# 375 in Pop (highest position was 375). Total songs: 9,844
BONGO MIRACLE FOR
# 398 in Cover Songs (highest position was 398). Total songs: 9,844
ROYAL SPEEDWAY 344520
# 420 in Rock (highest position was 245). Total songs: 9,844
Travel Into The Night
# 851 in R&B (highest position was 851). Total songs: 9,844
Previously Charting
Note: if a song gets no plays for 7 straight days, it won't appear on the charts until it gets played again
I Try So Hard Baby
# 682 in Jazz General. Total songs: 6,679
I Try So Hard Baby 368414
# 2,103 in Instrumentals. Total songs: 925,080
# 134 in Jazzy Beats. Total songs: 5,829
Superfly II 909825
# 3,135 in Jazz. Total songs: 29,784
# 174 in Jazz General. Total songs: 6,679
According to Soundclick-23 July, 2009
Hell or high water
Meaning
Any great difficulty or obstacle.
Origin
The derivation of this phrase isn't well-understood. It doesn't appear to allude to any particular thing or event. It it most probably just an impressive-sounding alliterative phrase that refers to things that are obviously difficult to overcome. It is American and appears in many U. S. sources before the first citation elsewhere - which isn't until 1915.
The earliest American reference I can find is from the Iowa newspaper The Burlington Weekly Hawk Eye, from May 1882. This piece, in what Mel Brooks might call 'authentic frontier gibberish', is a reprint from 'The Little Rock Gazette'.
"Since dat time de best ob my friends hab become enemies, an' strangers hab become friends. De debil had brook loose in many parts ob de country, an' keepin' up wid de ole sayin', we've had unrevised hell and high water - an'a mighty heap ob high-water I tell yer."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ready for charts
Retire any song from the charts to promote other songs. You have 20 active and 0 retired songs.
Main Genres
Only your best peforming song is charting in a genre.
highest everDefying The Odds 608855
# 49 in Classical (highest position was 49). Total songs: 28,930
# 10 in Classical General (highest position was 10). Total songs: 9,844
highest everSouthern Medival Castle
# 122 in Jazz (highest position was 122). Total songs: 29,784
# 27 in Jazz General (highest position was 27). Total songs: 6,679
highest everratsass' badass
# 181 in Blues (highest position was 181). Total songs: 35,390
# 68 in Blues General (highest position was 68). Total songs: 14,995
The Side of MJ Nobody Knew
# 487 in Rock (highest position was 120). Total songs: 179,263
# 105 in Rock General (highest position was 47). Total songs: 37,292
Robbin the Train At Noon
# 692 in Acoustic (highest position was 162). Total songs: 123,282
# 190 in Acoustic General (highest position was 20). Total songs: 28,080
The Outcast
# 2,096 in Instrumentals (highest position was 1,904). Total songs: 925,080
# 130 in Jazzy Beats (highest position was 122). Total songs: 5,829
Sub-genres
You had even stronger songs for the main genre, but these songs show up in their sub-genres
Hell or High Water
# 21 in Cover Songs (highest position was 21). Total songs: 9,844
Last Piece Of Pound Cake
# 121 in Country Blues (highest position was 121). Total songs: 9,844
Do You Need A Ticket 101770
# 375 in Pop (highest position was 375). Total songs: 9,844
BONGO MIRACLE FOR
# 398 in Cover Songs (highest position was 398). Total songs: 9,844
ROYAL SPEEDWAY 344520
# 420 in Rock (highest position was 245). Total songs: 9,844
Travel Into The Night
# 851 in R&B (highest position was 851). Total songs: 9,844
Previously Charting
Note: if a song gets no plays for 7 straight days, it won't appear on the charts until it gets played again
I Try So Hard Baby
# 682 in Jazz General. Total songs: 6,679
I Try So Hard Baby 368414
# 2,103 in Instrumentals. Total songs: 925,080
# 134 in Jazzy Beats. Total songs: 5,829
Superfly II 909825
# 3,135 in Jazz. Total songs: 29,784
# 174 in Jazz General. Total songs: 6,679
According to Soundclick-23 July, 2009
