This site is for the Mark & Naomi Iliff family. For Mark’s work persona go to Talespinner
Iliff-King phrasebook
definition
<eyes like pissholes in the snow expression or saying
Deeply sunken and/or dark eyes, often preceived to be a symptom of a hangover
Origin
The phrase possibly derives from a rugby song, which in the 1960-70s meant a crude song intended for the post-match communal bath only.
(These days rugby songs are stirring anthems sung by supporters, and bear no relation to the other kind.)
Collector
Francis – 1960s
Francis King – sibling of Naomi
Notes
1) Popular rugby songs included On the good ship Venus, Eskimo Nell, Roll me over, and Four & twenty virgins. At their height, collections were released as LPs by such artists as The Scrum Halves and The Jock Strapp Ensemble. (Strangely, they were always called Rugby Songs, yet the sport was then commonly called Rugger.)
2) The phrase was used by Michael Caine’s character Jack Carter in the 1971 film Get Carter, but it was well established by then.
3) Dylan Thomas used the similar phrase “eyes like rissoles in the sand” when describing impressions of USA in the 1950s