h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Jordan! I'm sub-editing your "Strange Fruit" entry at A51606777.

In the quote at the start it says "from toe to bottom". Should that be "from top to bottom"?

"a man that was idling the rear bumper" -- is that correct? I don't know that use of "idling".

Hello.

Yes, that's a typo, it should be "top to bottom". Thanks for catching that.

I think the use of idling may be colloquial. because I don't use it that way either. But according to two of my sources, it's how the report read. I think it means sort of standing around, or even loitering.

I've realised that there is a big problem with this. The song writer didn't die until 1986, so the song is in copyright. It is therefore not OK to quote the entire song twice as you do.

I propose that I quote just the first verse ending in ... the first time, and quote just the last verse preceded by ... at the end of the entry. If this is not acceptable to you, I'll refer it back to the Editors and see what they think.

Hmm. Why don't you see what the Eds have to say?

OK, I've sent an e-mail to the Eds and will wait for their reply.

The Eds agree with me that we can't quote the entire song as you have done, but:

"Really, we should only be using two lines at a time separated by analysis. It's OK to use large sections of the song (separated) if there is clear analysis throughout."

Well, whatever.

I split the song into three verses and dotted them around the entry so that the whole song is there, but not in one unbroken text. The Eds are happy with that, so I've sent it back.