View source for Joe Soap

{{Refimprove|date=June 2007}}
<!--[[Image:joe_soap.jpg|thumb|300px|Sample page]]-->
"'''Joe Soap'''" is [[United Kingdom|British]] [[rhyming slang]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Crozier|first=Justin|title=Shame About the Boat Race: A Guide to Rhyming Slang|url=http://www.answers.com/library/Rhyming%20Slang-cid-24177|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721122245/http://www.answers.com/library/Rhyming%20Slang-cid-24177|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-21|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers}}</ref> denoting a foolish stooge or scapegoat, ''Joe'' being an ordinary person, with ''Soap'' as a rhyme for ''dope''.
==History==
The phrase appeared in a 1943 book of military slang by John Hunt and Alan Pringle: "Joe Soap, the 'dumb' or not so intelligent members of the forces. The men who are 'over-willing' and therefore the usual 'stooges'." The [[World War I]] song "Joe Soap's Army", sung to the tune of "[[Onward, Christian Soldiers]]", has the lyrics "Forward, Joe Soap's army, marching without fear, with our brave commander, safely in the rear."
==In popular culture==
*The song "Blind Youth" by [[The Human League]], released in 1979, contains the refrain:<ref>{{cite web|last=Marsh / Oakey / Ware|title=Blind Youth|url=http://ex-rental.com/blindyouth/A-Blind.htm|work=Reproduction|publisher=Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102035428/http://ex-rental.com/blindyouth/A-Blind.htm|archivedate=2009-11-02}}</ref> ''Blind youth, take hope/You're no Joe Soap/Your time is due/Big fun come soon!''
*''Joe Soap'' was a [[photographic]] [[comic]] series published in the British [[comic book]] ''[[Eagle (comic)|Eagle]]'', from number 12 (dated 12 June 1982) until number 45 (dated 29 January 1983). It was written by [[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]] and [[John Wagner]],<ref name=FleetwayCompanion>{{cite book |last=Holland |first=Steve |date=2002 |title=The Fleetway Companion |url= |location=[[Rotherham]] |publisher=CJ & Publication}}</ref> with photography by Gary Compton.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*Another character of the same name appeared in ''[[Cracker (comics)|Cracker]]'' and ''[[The Beezer]]''.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*In 1994 [[Andrew Motion]] published a long poem with the title ''Joe Soap.''{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*In the 2012 ''[[Dredd]]'' movie, a Joe Soap poster can be seen on a billboard during a bike chase scene.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*Joe Soap was mentioned in chapter 17, page 125, of ''[[The Papers of Tony Veitch]]'', the second book of [[William McIlvanney]]'s Inspector Laidlaw trilogy: "One of those studio mock-up LPs of recent hits recorded by Joe Soap & Company was playing, authentic as a wooden penny. It belonged. Harkness wondered if that was why she wore her hair long: her ears were made of tin."{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<!--Footers-->
[[Category:British slang]]