Hit the Deck

Hit the Deck! (1927), a musical comedy by Herbert Fields (book), Vincent Youmans (music), Leo Robin, Clifford Grey (lyrics). [ Belasco Theatre, 352 perf.] Loulou (Louise Groody) runs a coffee house on the docks at Newport but is prepared to give it all up to follow a sailor, “Bilge” Smith (Charles King). When Bilge ships out, Loulou follows him around the world. She finally persuades him to marry her, only to have him change his mind when he learns she is an heiress. But Bilge changes his mind again after Loulou agrees to assign her inheritance to their children. Notable songs: Hallelujah; Sometimes I'm Happy; Why, Oh Why? Based on Hubert Osborne's 1922 play, Shore Leave, the musical had the longest Broadway run of any original Youmans show. It was welcomed by Percy Hammond of the Herald Tribune as “a clean, pretty, bright and happy show.”

Also, hit the dirt. Fall to the ground, usually for protection. For example, As the planes approached, we hit the deck, or We heard shooting and hit the dirt. In the early 1900s the first expression was nautical slang for "jump out of bed," or "wake up," and somewhat later, "get going." The current meaning dates from the 1920s.

The verb has one meaning:

Meaning #1: fall or drop suddenly, usually to evade some danger
  Synonym: hit the dirt

Hit the Deck can refer to:

• Hit the Deck (musical), a 1927 musical
• Hit the Deck (1930 film), a 1930 film
• Hit the Deck (1955 film), a 1955 film

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