The slang term 86 , or eighty-six, has many meanings and can function as an adjective, a verb, or an exclamation (Green’s Dictionary of Slang ). The claim that “a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret [the numbers 86 47] as a serious expression of an intent to do harm” is beyond ludicrous.
[Why was bumbling Maxwell Smart of Get Smart Agent 86? It was a joke: to eighty-six someone is to throw them out — of a bar, restaurant, &c. Tom Waits: “I’ve been eighty-sixed from your scheme” (“Nighthawks at the Diner”). Jonathon Green‘s first citation for the murderous meaning is from 1978.]
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
86
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"Draw one, draw two, get that coffee perkin'
Draw three, draw four, hold that mayo on the chopped egg workin'
One a tuna wheat with a side of fries
86 on the cherry pies
Side of greens on the franks and beans
And a boogie woogie blue plate”
Louis Jordan’s “Boogie Woogie Blue Plate.”
(I think it’s “drawer” and “want,” not “draw” and “one,” but Genius lyrics does gloss 86:
“One of the very first written/recorded instances of the term “86” when referring to something that is no longer available or being taken away. In this context, the restaurant has run out of cherry pies.“
Yes! Green has it as the first citation. I just <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e18GblHLcr4”>listened</a>: It’s definitely “draw” and “want.” “Draw” also shows up in “Java Jive”: “A slice of onion and a raw one, draw one” (a cup of coffee). And it’s in <i>The Best Years of Our Lives</i> : “Draw a beer for the Navy.”
(Trying to figure out why the link and italics didn’t register.)
“Draw” occurred to and makes sense to me. Before looking at the lyrics, I went back and forth, probably because I worked for several years as a high schooler at McDonald’s and have the anachronistic image of a row of registers in mind.
But the “one” in “one a tuna melt” sounds clunky and wrong. I just listened again and can’t really tell. But “want” makes sense to me. (And Genius gets a lot of stuff wrong.)
It’s fun (also alarming) to look at the lyrics of old blues songs at that site (if they’re there). So many things they get wrong, not that hearing the words is necessarily easy.
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