song and dance
Theatrical evasive explanation
A song and dance is literally a performance combining singing and dancing, as in vaudeville or musical theater.
More commonly, the phrase describes an elaborate, often evasive explanation or excuse meant to justify something questionable: He gave me a whole song and dance about why he couldn't pay rent.
In British English, to make a song and dance about something is to create unnecessary fuss or drama over a minor matter.
Defense of location
- pretextFabricated motive concealing truth
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- evasionAct of escaping detection
- fibTrivial, harmless falsehood
lie · story · tale · explanation · justification · runaround · smokescreen · dodge
Noisy, confused disturbance
- rigmaroleTedious, overcomplicated procedure
- palaverProlonged fuss or chatter
- productionMaking or generating something
- performanceCarrying out a task
spectacle · scene · drama · to-do · kerfuffle · brouhaha · hullabaloo · ado
alibi
Defense of location
- pretextFabricated motive concealing truth
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- evasionAct of escaping detection
fib · lie · story · tale · explanation · justification · runaround · smokescreen · dodge · ploy
commotion
Noisy, confused disturbance
- rigmaroleTedious, overcomplicated procedure
- palaverProlonged fuss or chatter
- productionMaking or generating something
performance · spectacle · scene · drama · to-do · kerfuffle · brouhaha · hullabaloo · ado · hoopla
- Bollywooditem number, masala, dream sequence, melodrama, hero
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- performancestalent show, ballet, comedy act, variety show, magic act
- variety showsSaturday Night Live, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, The Muppet Show
- vaudevillevaudeville, variety show, variety act, music hall, headliner
- Yiddish theaterYiddish theater, Second Avenue
song and danceplain truth
Honest, unembellished reality
direct response · straight talk · candor · simple truth · bottom line
song and dancebare facts
Unembellished essential information
simplicity · straightforwardness · no drama · understatement · no frills
song and dancemonologue
Uninterrupted solo address
spoken word · lecture · recitation · dramatic reading · still life
song, dance, singer, singing, songs, singers, unsung, songster, songbook