song and dance

American  

noun

1. a story or statement, especially an untrue or misleading one designed to evade the matter at hand.

   Every time he's late, he gives me a song and dance about oversleeping.

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song and dance British  

noun

1. a fuss, esp one that is unnecessary

2. a long or elaborate story or explanation, esp one that is evasive

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song and dance Idioms  

1. An elaborate story or effort to explain and justify something, or to deceive and mislead someone. For example, Do you really believe his song and dance about the alarm not going off, being stopped for speeding, and then the car breaking down? or At every annual meeting the chairman goes through the same song and dance about the company's great future plans. This term originally referred to a vaudeville act featuring song and dance. [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of song and dance

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

There is something uniquely tangible in the sequences of worship with song and dance, as if you feel it with your body as much as watch or listen with your eyes and ears.

From Los Angeles Times

Characters tend to break into song and dance, and plots are often over the top.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lately my ritual is as soon as I get up and brush my teeth and wash my face, I will put on a song and dance to it and do some stretching.

From Los Angeles Times

Over 100 actors, singers, Aztec dancers and local community members will take the stage to perform the miraculous tale through song and dance.

From Los Angeles Times

At the opening ceremony, members of the Guajajara indigenous group, in traditional dress, performed a welcome song and dance for assembled diplomats.

From BBC