Date: Mon, 1 May 1995 18:14:46 -0500

From: Daniel S Goodman dsg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MAROON.TC.UMN.EDU

Subject: % % Goverment work (saying) (fwd)



---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Thu, 27 Apr 1995 18:23:20 -0500 (EST)

From: Nina Gilbert GILBERTN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]scholar.wabash.edu

To: FARLEYW[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]mail.firn.edu, stumpers-list[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CRF.CUIS.EDU

Subject: % % Goverment work (saying)





Wendy Farley asks,

We have a patron who is searching for the origin of the saying Close

enough for government work.





Could it be a parody of "Close enough for jazz?"





You might try to trace "Close enough for jazz" through quote sources,

music-quote sources, or jazz sources, and see if there's any

connection.



Or does *every* field have a "close enough" saying, and I just happen

to know the one in music?



I admit this undocumented suggestion is *not* close enough for a real

librarian, but it may give you some leads or prompt some others'

memories.





Yours,



Nina Gilbert, whose occasional attempts at jazz piano are probably not

close enough even for jazz