How did it originate?
2007-06-03 14:20:01 · 4 answers · asked by Kita 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
Actually it goes back to the 1880's. James Witcomb Riley wrote a series of poems about the idyllic life and went about the country lecturing on them (sort of a Victorian era replacement for movies as it were) The phase came to mean a prosperous and well-ordered life
2007-06-03 14:31:05 · answer #1 · answered by becca h 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Way back... there was a popular song about a lucky guy named Riley. The song was "The Life of Riley" The song was funny and everyone knew it. The song came out during the Great Depression and it was fun to hear about a guy who was rich, lucky, a worry free. The song is nearly forgotten but the phase remains!
2007-06-03 14:24:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
On a tombstone:
Here lies Paddy Cormick, and here he's going to lay.
He lived the life of Reilly, while Reilly was away.
2007-06-03 18:16:02 · answer #3 · answered by Lorenzo Steed 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It comes from an old TV show. It means having money, a nice home, car, a wonderful and loving spouse, etc. Everything is going good for you.
2007-06-03 14:24:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋