organ grinder
Cranking street musician
An organ grinder is a street musician who plays a barrel organ or hand organ, turning a crank to produce music while typically soliciting donations from passersby.
The profession flourished in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often featuring a trained monkey that would collect coins.
The phrase appears in the expression I want to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey, meaning one wants to deal with the person in charge rather than a subordinate.
Public-space entertainer seeking donations
- street performerPublic entertainer seeking tips
- crankRotary operating handle
- hurdy-gurdyCranked wheel-friction chordophone
- hand-crankedTurned by rotating lever
music box · mechanical · grinding · coins · tip jar · sidewalk · cobblestone · piazza
Monkey resembling a friar
- leashAnimal restraint cord
- vestSleeveless upper-body garment
- fezFlat-topped tasseled cap
- cupSmall drinking container
tricks · companion · dancing · costume · chain · handler · exotic pet · curiosity
Of a prim era
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
- bygoneOf earlier times
- vintageQuality from past eras
- yesteryearTime not long past
sepia · antiquated · Dickensian · historical · heritage · memories · sentimental · timeless
Unverified traditional tale
- urban legendUnverified viral story
- fableMoral tale with animals
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
- traditionCustom passed through generations
cultural heritage · myth · tale · folk tale · itinerant · wanderer · immigrant · old world
Dramatic, attention-grabbing performer
- vaudevilleTheatrical variety entertainment
- circusTraveling entertainment with performers
- carnivalTraveling amusement attraction
- fairgroundOutdoor amusement venue
amusement · spectacle · novelty · performer · troubadour · minstrel · one-man band
Old valued collectible
- vintageQuality from past eras
- hand-crankedTurned by rotating lever
- woodenMade from timber
- brassCopper-zinc metal mixture
mechanical · restoration · patina · heirloom · artifact · relic · curio · museum piece
One who controls cunningly
- puppeteerPerformer controlling jointed figures
- controllerDevice directing a system
- bossWorkplace superior
- mastermindScheme's chief planner
schemer · operator · handler · exploitation · minion · lackey · underling · henchman
busker
Public-space entertainer seeking donations
- street performerPublic entertainer seeking tips
- crankRotary operating handle
- hurdy-gurdyCranked wheel-friction chordophone
hand-cranked · music box · mechanical · grinding · coins · tip jar · sidewalk · cobblestone · piazza · plaza
capuchin
Monkey resembling a friar
cup · tricks · companion · dancing · costume · chain · handler · exotic pet · curiosity
Victorian
Of a prim era
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
- bygoneOf earlier times
- vintageQuality from past eras
yesteryear · sepia · antiquated · Dickensian · historical · heritage · memories · sentimental · timeless · anachronism
legend
Unverified traditional tale
- urban legendUnverified viral story
- fableMoral tale with animals
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
tradition · cultural heritage · myth · tale · folk tale · itinerant · wanderer · immigrant · old world · European
showman
Dramatic, attention-grabbing performer
- vaudevilleTheatrical variety entertainment
- circusTraveling entertainment with performers
- carnivalTraveling amusement attraction
fairground · amusement · spectacle · novelty · performer · troubadour · minstrel · one-man band
antique
Old valued collectible
- vintageQuality from past eras
- hand-crankedTurned by rotating lever
- woodenMade from timber
brass · mechanical · restoration · patina · heirloom · artifact · relic · curio · museum piece · collector
manipulator
One who controls cunningly
- puppeteerPerformer controlling jointed figures
- controllerDevice directing a system
- bossWorkplace superior
mastermind · schemer · operator · handler · exploitation · minion · lackey · underling · henchman · stooge
- Street Performersbusker, street performer, street singer, street dancer, juggler
- street peoplestreet vendor, street performer, street musician, busker, street artist
- traveling showstraveling troupe, roadshow, road show, circus, vaudeville
- grinderscoffee mill, mill, grain mill, crusher, pulverizer
- peddlerspeddler, hawker, vendor, street vendor, pushcart
- traveling musicianstroubadour, minstrel, busker, street musician, bard
organ grinderpianist
One who plays piano
concert pianist · orchestra conductor · church organist · violinist
organ grinderconcert pianist
Professional public keyboard performer
symphony conductor · virtuoso · maestro · opera singer · symphony orchestra