Tevah_Trans Mar 29, 2009:

gutbuster, i love how you source YOUR info Thanks for a wise remark there gutbuster, you got anything to back yourself up? Because as I said, I have seen those records myself, and remember them and what they were called. I am generally here to contribute fact-based info, but what I have seen of you has thus far been contemptuous and rather unfounded. But thanks for your brilliance here, though.

Alexandra Taggart Mar 29, 2009:

откуда- то из Jack London's "Tales ofcannibals and headhunters".

Alexandra Taggart Mar 28, 2009:

" To dance on someone's grave" и его русский эквивалент означает - " я вас всех переживу, вы все подохните и всё достанется мне". Принципиально неважно к кому выражение относится "я", "он", в русский язык оно пришло из книжек о диком западе, золоте Аляски

333monkeys (asker) Mar 28, 2009:

bugi vugi on the bones yes, I ve heard as well on old x-rays
it was called bugi on the bones...

but it seems to me the expression is older... by origin....

gutbuster Mar 28, 2009:

Tevah_Trans, you must be kidding your story is an old wives' fable

Tevah_Trans Mar 28, 2009:

So, although your interpretation is poetic and cute, it is probably a derivation of the original, very "russian of the socialist regime" meaning.

Tevah_Trans Mar 28, 2009:

with an ingenious way to record music. They took old x-rays and recorded music on them and played them on record players (I remember, my uncle had a few of those). So people would dance to the music that was recorded on old x-rays - hence, на костях!!

Tevah_Trans Mar 28, 2009:

It just so happened that I discussed this exact expression with someone at the American Translators Association conference 2 years ago. What it really means is the following. Back during the 70s and 80s, before the cassette players, the Russians came up