where did it ain't over till the fat lady sings come from
It ain't over till the fat lady sings The phrase is generally understood to be referencing the stereotypically overweight sopranos of the opera. The imagery of Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and its last part, Götterdämmerung, is typically the one used in depictions accompanying reference to the phrase. The "fat lady" is the valkyrie Brünnhilde, who is traditionally presented as a very buxom lady with horned helmet, spear and round shield (although Amalie Materna played Brünnhilde during Wagner's lifetime (1876) with a winged helmet). Her farewell scene lasts almost twenty minutes and leads directly to the finale of the whole Ring Cycle.[1] As Götterdämmerung is about the end of the world (or at least the world of the Norse gods), in a very significant way "it is [all] over when the fat lady sings."
Gwen Guthrie Guthrie is probably best known for her 1986 dance anthem "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent", a self-written and produced track which garnered some controversy for its materialistic lyrics such as, "You've got to have a j-o-b if you want to be with me/No romance without finance". A literal reading suggests a man only requires the finances to make a relationship work. However, Guthrie's lyrics intend to motivate her partner into being responsible for maintaining equality and financial stability.[citation needed] The official promo depicts males in a number of mostly manual occupations, which could counter accusations of gold-digging.