If you have ever been second fiddle or played second fiddle to someone else, then you might have really wished that you could have the lead role, that you could be front and centre, and all that jazz.
So what is the origin of this phrase?
If you very plausibly thought that the phrase second fiddle came from the orchesta and the role played by the supporting fiddler, then basically you would be right. The person who played first or lead fiddle could often get quite famous back in the day when concerts were big and there wasn't pop music, CDs and MTV in existence (surely not I hear you cry).
And so if you played second fiddle you really did have a background role as all the attention went to the person who played, well, first fiddle.
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