Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·146 of 348
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
They never said that.
What people say
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
What was actually said
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. — T. Bert Lance, Nation's Business, May 1977. T. Bert Lance — T. Bert Lance, Office of Management and Budget director
Why it stuck
Lance's profile in Nation's Business is the earliest verifiable print appearance. The phrase has been retroactively tagged as "an old Southern saying," but no pre-1977 source has surfaced.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.