no joy in Mudville

no joy in Mudville

A phrase used to describe an overall sense of sadness or disappointment. It comes from the poem "Casey at the Bat." Believe me, there's been no joy in Mudville ever since my sister and her boyfriend broke up. There will be no joy in Mudville once Billy learns he didn't make the basketball team.
See also: joy, no
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • not bat an eye
  • break (one's) heart
  • break heart
  • break somebody's heart
  • break someone's heart
  • break your heart
  • not bat an eyelid
  • bat an eye
  • bat an eyelash
  • bat an eyelid
References in periodicals archive
There may be no joy in Mudville, but in the West, next year is now, thanks to a pair of developmental leagues--the Arizona Fall League and Hawaii Winter Baseball.
Catch a game, and maybe a star, in Arizona or Hawaii
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright, The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light; And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout, But there is no joy in Mudville: Mighty Casey has struck out.
Casey at the Bat