I probably say the word “gig” more often each day than any other – with the exception of the word “awesome” and possibly an iconic profanity I won’t memorialize here. But what IS a gig anyway? Why do we even call it that?
A “gig” started life as a kind of carriage – here’s a wonderful picture of that two-seat bucket with big wheels. It would be hard to fit a band in that thing, so I’m not sure that has much to do with the performing “gig.” But we have played in smaller places, so maybe.
But then there’s “gig” and unfortunate frogs. It’s a multi-pronged spear used for the froggy demise, usually late at night, wading in shallow water (because that’s when frogs come out). I guess musicians come out at night and “catch” a gig, hopefully with their talent and tenacity rather than sharp objects.
Much like the word “jazz -” which also has multiple origins as a word – the performing meaning of “gig” has various origin stories:
1) “Engagement” gets shortened to “gig” in the 1920s “Jazz Age,” an era that also gave us fun phrases like “zotzed,” “bees knees,” and “peepers,” among others.
2) On the dates they got paying work, Jewish vaudeville performers would write GIG on their calendar – for “God is Great.” They passed the term on to the folks they worked with– usually vaudeville blues singers and the jazz orchestras that accompanied them.
3) A slang dictionary from 1894 in the UK says it’s a “frolic” or “dance.” A gig is a jig, I guess.
My favorite is No. 2, mainly because I do think God Is pretty Great – and because I am seriously amazed I still get to say “I have a gig tonight” after doing this music thing for 30+ years. My calendar will have GIG written on it with a lot more reverence now.
“Gig” has now expanded to mean almost any profession, generally something temporary. Life is a gig, when you think about it. And a gig, for me — when the music is so great it hurts and heals all at the same time — is life.
How about you? What’s your “GIG?”
Love,
Gwen
PS. Speaking of gigs, the one below was one of the best. We played Orebro, Sweden a few years ago and Otis Redding never sounded so good!
