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{{Mergeto|Gravy Train (band)|date=January 2010}}otheruses}}
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"'''Gravy Ttrain''' was a progressive English rock band, who in 1970 published an [[album]] of the same name. 
The group was formed 1969 in [[Manchester]] and consisted in 1970 of Norman Barrett (vocal, g), Les Williams (b, vocal), J. D. Hughes (fl, sax, vocal) and Barry Davenport (dr). All members were credited for the songs on the LP, which was quite famed in its day – not only for the music, but also for the cover designed by Hipgnosis, well known for works for Pink Floyd and Edgar Broughton Band. 
The songs were blues-inspired, heavily psychedelic, quite original on "the New One" to the slow blues "Coast Road". Norman Barrett replaced Jimmy Page in Lord Sutch's band for the Holywood Festival. A little bit of a mix of King Crimson and Jethro Tull with a psychedelic touch.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

Albums:
*1970 - Gravy Train
*1971 - (A Ballad of) A Peaceful Man
*1973 - Second Birth
*1974 - Staircase to the Day" is an [[Idiom|idiomatic expression]] that is used to refer to any lucrative endeavor, generally with unearned benefits. For emphasis, one can describe the Gravy Train as having biscuit wheels.

The word "gravy" by itself was used prior to the invention of the phrase "gravy train" as an [[interjection]] of pleasure at something that's easy to do with a great reward, or as an adjective to describe such a situation<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=gravy An etymology for the phrase]</ref>, similar to 'cushy'.  An easy task.

In politics, "gravy train" refers to political handouts, patronage, and other unearned freebies, since someone else foots the bill.  It is used to condemn thinly veiled vote-buying schemes; the "bread" half of [[bread and circuses]].

== External links and references ==
*[http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-gra4.htm Michael Quinion] "in the ''Courier of Connellsville'' (also in Pennsylvania) in November 1895, almost two decades before the previously oldest known example: ''Johnston claims that Reuben Nelson and another tall negro were in New Haven the night of the escape and that they broke into the lockup. Johnson further states that the next day Kelson laughingly told him that the New Haven lockup was "a gravy train." '' "

==References==
{{Reflist}}<!--added above categories/infobox footers by script-assisted edit-->

[[Category:English idioms]]
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[[id:Gravy train]]