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Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 187: At the Crossroads
Record Date: March 25, 2023
Air Date: March 29, 2023
Intro
Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.
I’m Dan Pugh
Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison
Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.
Opening Hook
Have you ever hit a moment in your life when you must make a choice and whatever decision you make will determine the rest of your life? You get to choose but whichever direction you go, the other path will forever be cut off from you. Some call it a tipping point or the moment of truth. Regardless of the moment, the crux of the situation is that you stand at the crossroads.
Meaning
To be at a crossroads means that one faces a decision that will have a major impact and cannot be changed once made.
Collins Dictionary states,
Quote
If you say that something is at a crossroads, you mean that it has reached a very important stage in its development where it could go one way or another.
End quote
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/crossroads
Before we look at the history, a quick note of thanks and some intrigue to start us off. Our Patron, Pat Rowe, recently talked with Dan and I about a guitarist who claimed to have sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads in exchange for his talent. It got me thinking about the association of faustian pacts and the location of a crossroads. Why at a crossroads?
Well, I went down a bunny trail and ended up needing to find out about this phrase and where it actually originated. Not surprisingly, the term crossroads didn’t start with the idea of a decision to be made.
Oxford English Dictionary tells us that established in the early 1700s, cross roads - in the form of two separate words, cross plus road or roads - was a term used to describe:
Quote
A road crossing another, or running across between two main roads; a by-road.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44922?rskey=R7XGN9&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid
We also find the definition,
Quote
The place where two roads cross each other; the place of intersection of two roads. Also called the cross roads - or - a four-cross-road.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44922?rskey=R7XGN9&result=2&isAdvanced=false#eid7865751
The cross roads were quickly recognized as a place of interest. This is where all the activity happens. People set up shops at the cross roads, it’s where they met up with others because it was easily identifiable and relatively equidistant from their various locations. As a result of natural traffic and the ease of a cross road being a meeting place, that’s generally where all the action took place.
Here is an example from the work Travels Through Spain in the Years 1775 and 1776 In which Several Monuments of Roman and Moorish Architecture are Illustrated by Accurate Drawings Taken on the Spot. This was written by Henry Swinburne and published in 1779.
Quote
All the Mancha before us seems to be a bare corn-country, ugly and tedious beyond expression. For my part, unless it be to look out at a venta, or peep about for an adventure at the meeting of the cross-roads, I intend sleeping all the way to Madrid.
End quote
People also recognized that the activity at the cross roads was sometimes risky or posed a threat. Let’s take this one last aside before moving on.
Oxford English Dictionary lists another phrase, along with the use of the word dirty as an adjective with this definition,
Quote
Dirty - That stains the honour of the persons engaged; dishonourably sordid, base, mean, or corrupt; despicable. Colloquial phrase dirty work at the crossroads.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/53367?rskey=QKASWQ&result=1&isAdvanced=true#eid6647078
They also provide an example of the phrase. P. G. Wodehouse (Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse) in the 1914 work Man Upstairs writes,
Quote
A conviction began to steal over him that in some way he was being played with, that some game was afoot which he did not understand, that—in a word—there was dirty work at the cross-roads.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/53367?rskey=QKASWQ&result=1&isAdvanced=true#eid6647078
Before we move on, here is one more item that I want to cover. The term cross-path. The example of this term that I’ve selected comes from the work
The Malefactor's Register; Or, the Newgate and Tyburn Calendar (New Newgate and Tyburn Calendar). Containing the Authentic Lives, Trials, Accounts of Executions and Dying Speeches of the Most Notorious Violators of the Laws of Their Country; who Have Suffered Death and Other Exemplary Punishments ... from the Year 1700 to Lady-day 1779 (to the Midsummer Sessions of Next Year)
This was published by in 1779. The excerpt comes from a section titled,
Quote
End quote
Alright, back to the meaning we’re focused on today, Oxford English Dictionary gives the following definition,
Quote
Crossroads figurative (usually plural). A point at which two or more courses of action diverge; a critical turning-point.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44922?rskey=R7XGN9&result=2&isAdvanced=false#eid7865751
The earliest use confirmed in print, according to Oxford English Dictionary, is from the 1795 work by Samuel Jackson Pratt titled Gleanings through Wales, Holland and Westphalia.
Quote
Join with me..that they may speedily be conducted from the cross roads of life.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44922?rskey=R7XGN9&result=2&isAdvanced=false#eid7865751
I found a rather intense and eloquent usage of the phrase in a work from 1852. The piece titled Rising Generation-Ism was published in Hogg's Instructor, a Scottish periodical.
Quote
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hogg_s_Instructor/J6NGAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=cross%20road
In the April 13, 1895 edition of The news & observer out of Raleigh, N.C., we find the phrase in a series of poems that begins,
Quote
End quote
An article in The Washington times July 06, 1902 edition, out of Washington D.C. discusses a popular dramatist of the time named Myron Leffingwell and a series of related performances.
Quote
End quote
In the Pine Bluff daily graphic from July 06, 1910, out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, we find an article with a familiar theme. It is titled,
The article shared some of the evangelist E.E. Violett’s words,
Quote
End quote
Religion is a big part of human existence so it isn’t surprising to see a phrase like this associated with it. In The weekly Iberian July 05, 1919 edition from New Iberia, Louisiana, there was an article which included the phrase, which combined the political and religious concepts.
Quote
End quote
Possibly my favorite little nugget is seen in the Wood County reporter June 02, 1921, out of Grand Rapids, also known as Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This was in one of those little advice and adages type of sections,
Quote
End quote
At the crossroads has been used by some big names - politicians, musicians, and world leaders. Here is one historical figure that many in the US will recognize.
Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States from 1929 ‐ 1933 used this term in a Message to the National Foreign Trade Council on May 04, 1932.
Quote
PLEASE EXTEND my cordial greetings to the Nineteenth National Foreign Trade Convention and the Ninth Pacific Foreign Trade Convention in joint conference in Honolulu. The work of these foreign trade conventions is an example of sound cooperative leadership and is of outstanding value at this juncture. It is especially appropriate that our foreign traders meet with our friends and neighbors from Canada and across the Pacific Ocean to devise means of coordination in the great enterprise of international trade. At the cross-roads of the Pacific, with whose shores the destiny of mankind is becoming each year increasingly concerned, your service to American foreign trade will be notably advanced by this important meeting.
End quote
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/message-the-national-foreign-trade-council-0
Now, in this he was using a figurative meaning of the term cross-roads but referring to a place that was essentially serving more as a path that would connect other paths. However, there are many who believe that Herbert Hoover never used any word accidentally and the theory is that the word cross-roads would have been very carefully selected. That’s all conjecture but the speech does ring with the idea of a big decision being made.
I was able to find much of this information thanks to The American Presidency Project - a non-profit, non-partisan source of presidential documents on the internet. They are hosted at the University of California, Santa Barbara and currently make available 152,367 Presidential and Non-Presidential Records.
Hoover wasn’t the only president to use our phrase. Roosevelt and Eisenhower seem to have loved it as well.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States from 1933 ‐ 1945 announced Proclamation 2425—Selective Service Registration on September 16, 1940
Quote
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Whereas the Congress has enacted and I have this day approved the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which declares that it is imperative to increase and train the personnel of the armed forces of the United States and that in a free society the obligations and privileges of military training and service should be shared generally in accordance with a fair and just system of selective compulsory military training and service; and
Whereas the said Act contains, in part, the following provisions:
A portion of provision 7 reads,
America stands at the crossroads of its destiny. Time and distance have been shortened. A few weeks have seen great nations fall. We cannot remain indifferent to the philosophy of force now rampant in the world. The terrible fate of nations whose weakness invited attack is too well known to us all.
We must and will marshal our great potential strength to fend off war from our shores. We must and will prevent our land from becoming a victim of aggression.
Our decision has been made.
End Quote
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-2425-selective-service-registration
Well, we’re ready to move to our modern uses of Crossroads, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.
A Quick Thank You
This episode is sponsored by our amazing Patrons on Patreon.
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Modern Uses
One of the most well-known uses of the term Crossroad is from the incredible song, Cross Road Blues by Robert Johnson which originally came out in 1936. Normally, I’d place this in the historical uses. However, this song and the story of Robert Johnson supposedly selling his soul to the devil in exchange for musical genius - was brought into the modern mind by a popular TV show. In the Supernatural episode Cross Road Blues which aired in 2006, the people of a small town have been selling their souls to a crossroad demon. Robert Johnson is basically what the episode is built on. Here is a little bit of trivia from IMDb:
Quote
Robert Johnson was a young, and by all accounts untalented, boy who, in the early 1920s when he was in his late teens, would hang around bars listening to the Blues musicians of the day. He dreamed of being able to play like them. From accounts of his contemporaries, he disappeared for a few months and when he resurfaced he could play Blues better than everyone. He shot to fame almost over night. His music does feature many occult references, and the legend grew that he had sold his soul to the devil in return for talent and fame. He died at 27, under mysterious circumstances. There are several different accounts of his death, and he left behind at least three women claiming to be his widow. It is unknown if or where he was buried. To this day he remains an artistic legend, and those who remembered him maintained till they died that they had never seen anything like him before or since.
End quote
Robert Johnson’s music acts as the primary soundtrack for this episode which features the songs Cross Road Blues and Hellhound on My Tail. By the way, his music absolutely holds up. As for the song itself, there is no specific mention of a deal or devil but you can infer as much as you’d like. The song opens,
Quote
I went down to the crossroads
Fell down on my knees
Down to the crossroads
Fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above for mercy
Take me, if you please
I went down to the crossroads
Tried to flag a ride
Down to the crossroads
Tried to flag a ride
Nobody seemed to know me
Everybody passed me by
And it ends
You can run, you can run
Tell my friend boy Willie Brown
Run, you can run
Tell my friend boy Willie Brown
And I'm standing at the crossroads
Believe I'm sinking down
End quote
You might be asking if this is all referring to the concept of a huge decision or just the physical location of a crossroads. Well, the idea of making a deal with the devil at a place where roads cross one another is basically the ultimate level of symbolism. Once you’ve made that pact, there is no turning back. There is an argument to be made that this takes place at a crossroads because it is a crossroads and it could not be done at any other location.
Song: https://youtu.be/hRfw5LiO-II
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0868625/
Robert Johnson is apparently synonymous with Crossroads for many. When I ran a search for artwork related to crossroads, a number of pieces with only Robert Johnson referenced showed up in the results. One I particularly liked is an acrylic on canvas painting by Magdalena Głowacka from Poland It was originally painted in 2014 and is featured on SaatchiArt. It’s a beautiful portrait of Robert Johnson.
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-robert-johnson/736751/3151091/view
The book Crossroads of Conjure: The Roots and Practices of Granny Magic, Hoodoo, Brujería, and Curanderismo written by Katrina Rasbold, was released in 2019. From the publisher,
Quote
Explore the Fascinating World of Southern Folk Magic
Featuring an introductory look at Granny Magic, Hoodoo, Brujería, and Curanderismo in the American South, Crossroads of Conjure provides a fresh perspective on folk magic. This authentic and powerful book demonstrates how these systems are interconnected, celebrates their sustainability, and dispels the myths and misunderstandings about them.
Learn about each path's beliefs, practitioners, history, and how its traditions are carried on in modern society. Discover the techniques practitioners use for healing, survival, protection, and more. This entertaining and informative exploration of folk magic also helps you determine which practice resonates with you the most.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Crossroads_of_Conjure/bJZ_DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
Crossroads
By Laurel Hightower · 2020
The publisher shares,
Quote
How far would you go to bring back someone you love?
When Chris's son dies in a tragic car crash, her world is devastated. The walls of grief close in on Chris's life until, one day, a small cut on her finger changes everything.
A drop of blood falls from Chris's hand onto her son's roadside memorial and, later that night, Chris thinks she sees his ghost outside her window. Only, is it really her son's ghost, or is it something else-something evil?
Soon Chris is playing a dangerous game with forces beyond her control in a bid to see her son, Trey, alive once again.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Crossroads/ia29zQEACAAJ?hl=en
Crossroads is a photograph by Dasha Pears from Finland, featured on SaatchiArt. The description reads,
Quote
From my project "Blues"
Inspired by the bright northern sun which never leaves the skies from April to September. White nordic days and nights are magical. They bring peace, new ideas, but most importantly new hopes for the future as bright as it can be.
End quote
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Photography-Crossroads/1284185/9457481/view
Wrap Up
Being at a crossroads can be a daunting and emotional experience. It's a moment when we're faced with a crucial decision that could change the course of our lives. We may feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and even fearful of making the wrong choice. But it's also a time of opportunity and growth, a chance to reflect on our values and priorities and determine what truly matters to us. Ultimately, being at a crossroads reminds us that life is full of choices, and each one we make shapes the person we become.
Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, send us an email: bunnytrailspod@gmail.com, or comment on our website bunnytrailspod.com
Dan:
It’s patron poll time!
Recently we posed this question to our Patrons:
What is your favorite type of pasta?
Shauna, did you know there are over 300 types of pasta? https://www.tastingtable.com/764058/types-of-pasta-and-when-you-should-be-using-them/
We listed the 10 most common types worldwide.
And the winner among our Patrons is…
Angel hair
And in a tie for second is Spaghetti and Fusilli.
Shauna:
Jan shared what I consider good advice, saying,
Quote:
Fusilli - holds the sauce, great in pasta salads, and often comes in different colors.
End Quote
Dan:
Mary said,
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Spaghetti is springy and fun. You get to twirl it or suck it up through your lips. It works with just about any sauce and has a great flavor on its own.
End quote
Shauna:
Personally, I think Lasagna is my favorite dish. At least when I make it myself. It's just too delicious to argue about. That being said, angel hair is my fave pasta. And I haven't the slightest clue why. But I think because it really lets lighter sauces stand out and be the highlight.
I'm going to add that gnocchi deserves some attention for its amazingness as well. I like it with a roasted garlic and basil tomato sauce. It's also fantastic thrown into a stew with squash and sausage. Gnocchi is like bonus starch in every bite or something. I don’t know why, but I love how dense and chewy it is.
Dan:
I’m also going with Angel Hair, but honorable mention from me to lasagna and fettuccine, which are both great in dishes. And while they weren’t among the top 10 worldwide, I also love the wide egg noodles in homemade chicken noodle soup. And the narrow rice noodles in many asian dishes.
If you want to join our polls, head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod where Patrons at all levels can participate in our weekly silly polls that mean absolutely nothing and aren’t even scientifically valid. But they are fun to talk about!
Outro
Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,
Together:
Words belong to their users.
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