Saint Swithun in popular culture

Saint Swithun has appeared many times in popular culture.

• English folk singer Billy Bragg released a song entitled "St. Swithin's Day" on his 1984 LP Brewing Up with Billy Bragg. This was covered by Dubstar on Disgraceful in 1995.
• St. Swithin's Day is a comic book written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Paul Grist.
• On the show Maid Marian and Her Merry Men King Richard sent a post card to say that he was due to return on 'Saint Swithin's Day', which was that very day.
• On the show Frasier, Roz mockingly asks Frasier if he and Niles are playing their zithers at the Renaissance Fair, to which he replies, "Roz, the Renaissance Fair is a fortnight after St. Swithin's Day." ("Cranes Unplugged")
• David Knopfler has a song named "A Clear Day (St. Swithun's Day)" on his 2001 "Wishbones" album.
• St. Swithun's Day is also mentioned as the Birthday of Dracula in Roky Erickson's song Night of the Vampire. (Erickson himself was born on St. Swithun's Day, 1947.)
• St. Swithun's shrine in Winchester Cathedral is mentioned in "An Excellent Mystery", one of the Brother Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters.
• In Anglican/Episcopal circles, a generic name for "any church" is "St Swithin's", or sometimes "St Swithin's in the Swamp," frequently stated to be a parish in the also generic "Diocese of Woppitysplash."
• It can be assumed that the fictitious St Swithin's Hospital in the British comedy series Doctor in the House, as well as the other related comedies, is also named after this Saint, and he and his day are mentioned in a number of episodes of these different but connected television shows.
• In Virginia Woolf's final novel, Between the Acts. a character called Mrs Swithin prays for sunshine whilst fingering a crucifix - unknowingly bearing the name of a rain-bearing saint.
• In A Knight's Tale Wat is frustrated with "Sir" Ulrich losing on purpose (to prove his love to a woman) and asks "Why in the name of St. Swithin are we doing this?"
• In The Dark Knight Rises, Gotham City's orphanage is named St. Swithin's.
• In One Day (novel) by David Nicholls the two main characters recurringly meet on St Swithen's Day over a period of twenty years. The book's acknowledgments credit the Billy Bragg song with inspiration.
• Bart, in The Simpsons, says: "All right, you're right, you're right, let's, let's just forget about that. Here: let me read to you from my play. Ahem. [cockney] `Kippers for breakfast, Aunt Helga? Is it St. Swithin's Day already?' `'Tis,' replied Aunt Helga."
• The Sopranos season 2 episode 11. Junior Soprano to Bobby baccalas statement "The disposal? I told you, I gotta get the flange." Junior: "When, St. Swithun's Day?"
• In the season two premiere of Sports Night, Dana jokingly asks Casey if he was waiting for St. Swithin's Day to ask her out.^[1]

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