“Home, James” is a phrase used by a passenger to tell their chauffeur to take them home. It became a cliché and was popularized by the song “Home James, and Don’t Spare the Horses” in 1934. The phrase may have originated from Queen Victoria’s coach driver named James Darling.
The phrase “home, James” has a relatively short and dark history. It’s a widely understood phrase used by a passenger to his chauffeur, telling the chauffeur to take him home. It has since become a cliché that has spawned an early 20th century film and a couple of songs. Ultimately it appears to be from a 19th century British monarch and his loyal chauffeur.
The song “Home James, and Don’t Spare the Horses” popularized the saying around 1934. Many websites attribute this popularization to Fred Hillebrand, who was born in New York in 1893 and died there in 1963. He was an actor, songwriter and songwriter. If any of his song remains online, it’s hard to find.
There is, however, a recording of a song of the same name which was performed in Britain by Elsie Carlisle. Carlisle was a popular singer between the two world wars. Her version of the song does not credit a writer, but it was performed with Burt Ambrose and his orchestra. Her lyrics are about a date night gone wrong, as demonstrated by the chorus:
“(Home, James and don’t spare the horses)
This night was ruined for me
(Home, James and don’t spare the horses)
Oh, I’m ruined as can be ruined”
The song appears to be set in the 1890s, around a time when both Hillebrand and Carlisle were born. It also features a horse-drawn carriage rather than the automobile that would have been used in the 1930s. It is, therefore, possible that the song dates back to that period and that these last interpretations were covers of it. This makes sense because there is evidence of a coach driver named James in the late 19th century.
Queen Victoria of England reigned from 1837 to 1901. When she wasn’t using the train, she was driven around in a horse-drawn carriage as was the custom at the time. There would have been a number of coach drivers available for her, depending on the location and the coach used. One of them in the late 1800s was named James.
His name was James Darling, and little is known about him except his name and position. It was the convention of the time for a person of the upper class to address a chauffeur by his surname, but this would leave the Queen saying “home, darling”. The queen naturally decided to use her name to save embarrassment, and a sentence was born.
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