Date: Thu, 14 Sep 1995 11:36:00 CDT

From: Randy Roberts robertsr[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]EXT.MISSOURI.EDU

Subject: with a bullet



I have checked in the cite files of Peter Tamony and Clarence Barnhart

held here in Missouri. Each has a number of examples of bullet used

in this sense from the mid-1970s to early 1980s. Includes examples of

bulleting to the top and bulleted at the top, etc. The earliest

example, however, is from Tom Wolfe's THE KANDY-KOLORED TANGERINE

FLAKE STREAMLINE BABY of 1965. Tamony lifted a quote from page 62:

"His latest record, 'You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin',' by the

Righteous Brothers, rose from the 70's to No. 37 with a 'bullet'

beside it ----- meaning 'going up fast'." Sorry, but I don't see

anything which addresses the origin of the phrase.







Randy Roberts

University of Missouri-Columbia

robertsr[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ext.missouri.edu