Where did the phrase "Not till the fat lady sings" come from?

Answer 1

In operas, the "fat lady" sang at the end. When she sang, it signaled the end of the show. "Not till the fat lady sings" means it's not yet over.

Answer 2

"Attributed to writer/broadcaster Dan Cook, his original line was "The opera ain't over until the fat lady sings."[1] This occurred in April 1978, when he coined the phrase after the first basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Washington Bullets (WWizards) during the 1977-78 National Basketball Association playoffs, to illustrate that while the Spurs had won once, the series was not over yet. This refers to the impression that at the end of every opera an aria is sung by a woman dressed like a valkyrie."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_ain't_over_till_the_fat_lady_sings

Answer 3

The Opera

Answer 4

the fat lady singing at the end of an opera

Answer 5

The opera! The opera usually isn't over until a big, fat, female opera singer sings an aria.

Answer 6

It is originally credited with Dan Cook, who was a sports reporter for KENS TV in San Antonio, Texas. His statement was "The opera aint over until the fat lady sings" which he said referring to an ongoing sporting event.

Answer 7

Could also be from an old Southern expression "Church ain't over till the fat lady sings"

Answer 8

A sportscaster in San Antonio started the phrase...

Answer 9

I believe it is referring to many operas that end with a song sung by an overweight singer.

Answer 10

Opera.