Etymology Journal ยท G
Good golly Miss Molly!
Meaning
- An expression of shock, surprise, or intense reaction to something unexpected. It is often used to emphasize the magnitude of a situation.
Excited, dramatic
Used in a sentence
- Good golly Miss Molly, look at the size of that hailstone!
- I missed the flight? Good golly Miss Molly, I better call the airline.
- Good golly Miss Molly, you really scared me sneaking up like that.
The backstory
The phrase was cemented in the American lexicon by the 1956 Little Richard song Good Golly, Miss Molly. It captures the frantic, rock-and-roll energy of that era.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check