Going Down Like A Lead Balloon

[Booldawg]

I've never quite got the grasp of that saying.

When used in something going well you could say 'It went down like a lead balloon' that's means its successful right?

But when you use it in a negative context, like giving someone bad news eg; 'I had to make someone redundant today - it went down like a lead balloon' that surely indicates something unsuccessful?

[grasscarp]

it is always negative in meaning.

[dannyk13]

Never heard it used in the context of something good.

[Ken4155]

I don't think it's ever used to describe something going well, Booldawg?

[ladybirder]

A lead balloon won't ever go up Booldawg.

[Svejk]

///When used in something going well you could say 'It went down like a lead balloon' that's means its successful right?///

^That idea went down like...........

[Arksided]

I've only ever heard that expression in the context of a bad joke.

[andy-hughes]

It is unsuccessful Boldawg.

If you think about the image - a balloon made out of a heavy metal - it is only ever going to go down, and never float, so comparing something going down 'like a lead balloon' means it had a negative impact.

Of course, when Keith Moon told Jimmy Page that his 'New Yardbirds' project would go down 'like a lead balloon', it gave Jimmy the idea for a name for a brand new band.

Of such exchanges are history made.

[Svejk]

Your Faux-pas must have led to some amusing exchanges, booldawg.
'Thanks for the present, went down like a lead balloon in my house' says our hero, all happy like.
And the other bloke thinking, 'Cheeky basket, that's yer last'

[Svejk]

Never heard that Led Zep story before. I bet I repeat it though.

[stuey]

I've only ever or seen or heard it as "It went over OVER like a lead balloon", and always in a negative sense.

[DTCwordfan]

there was one after that disaster in Luxor, two years ago.....

"Have you heard the one about the tourists in Egypt?

It went down like a lead balloon."

[stuey]

Well, I garbled that up, didn't I?:)

[DTCwordfan]

https://thewiddershins2.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/leadballoon-2.jpg?w=480

[Arksided]

Andy, Led Zepplin I so hope that's true... his quote.

[Baldric]

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/go-down-like-a-lead-balloon

[stuey]

Now I understand: your version is a Britishism. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/lead-balloon.html

[Baldric]

Towards the end of this section

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yardbirds#The_Yardbirds.2C_The_New_Yardbirds_and_Led_Zeppelin

///Entwistle said of forming a band with Jimmy Page and Steve Winwood and he would name it "Lead Zeppelin" because it'll go over like a lead balloon". The spelling of "lead" was changed to avoid confusion over its pronunciation.///

[Booldawg]

What confused me was if something went 'down well' then it was good. I can imagine a lead balloon going down well!

[Booldawg]

but thanks all. Situation clarified!

I'd heard that Led Zep story before but still didn't understand if he meant they'd be successful or not.

[Clanad]

Only to expand on postings offered herein, this site does explain the difference in wording applicable to the phrase referenced: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/lead-balloon.html

As usual, it comes down to the difference betweenor (US) vs UK) shared and supposedly common language...