"My Cup Runneth Over" is a quote from the Hebrew Bible[1] (Psalms 23:5) and means "I have more than enough for my needs" though interpretations and usage may vary. Notably, it can be employed sarcastically to indicate that someone, e.g. one's host, is being less than generous.
In music
The phrase is the title of a popular song written by Harvey Schmidt with lyrics by Tom Jones, featured in the 1966 Broadway musical, I Do! I Do!, which starred Robert Preston and Mary Martin. The most popular recording of the song was made by Ed Ames in 1967, which was a #8 Pop hit in the United States.[2] This version also spent four weeks atop the U.S. adult contemporary chart that same year. Another version of the song is performed by popular New Zealand barbershop quartet, Musical Island Boys.[3]
The quote has been used extensively in other music. Rap artists Eminem and Jay-Z have used it in "Run Rabbit Run" and Can't Knock the Hustle respectivly while actor and musician Aubrey 'Drake' Graham used it in "Ignant Shit" as well as in a collaborative song with Eminem called "Forever". Rock musicians have also used the phrase. It is in the opening line of the Alice In Chains song "Bleed The Freak" while the death metal band Aborted includes the phrase as a lyric in "Pestiferous Subterfuge" and the virtual band Gorillaz referenced the phrase in "All Alone".
The quote also features prominently in the Bob Marley song "My Cup" and it is also used by Tavares in their disco hit-song Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel. It also features in the song "Desert Sand" by UB40.
Other uses
"My cup runneth over!" is screamed as an expression of ecstasy by the fictional character William Bedford Diego in the 1999 video game "System Shock 2".
It is used in the movie "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".
The phrase also appears on cups that are included with medium Burger King meals.[dubious ][citation needed]
The phrase is also used as the title for Cherry Whytock's book "My Cup Runneth Over: The Life of Angelica Cookson Potts".
References
- ^ Mechon-Mamre Hebrew/English Bible "Psalms Chapter 23".
- ^ [1]
- ^ Musical Island Boys
- The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996
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