The idiom one-trick pony is not as old as you may think. We will examine the definition of the expression one-trick pony, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
A one-trick pony is someone or something that only has one talent or trick they are capable of performing. The idiom one-trick pony is usually said derisively, implying that the person or thing in question has little to offer. Someone who is a one-trick pony is not considered well-rounded. One-Trick Pony is also the name of an album and movie released by singer-songwriter Paul Simon in 1980. The album featured the songs Ace in the Hole, Late in the Evening and God Bless the Absentee. Usually a musician, songwriter and performer, Simon turned his hand to acting in the movie One-Trick Pony. Other actors in the lineup included Mare Winningham and Blair Brown. One Trick Pony is a graphic novel by Nathan Hale, as well as the name of a beer brewery in Illinois. The idiom one-trick pony is derived from the circus. A circus featuring a pony that has only been trained to perform one trick is not very entertaining. An old joke claims that a certain circus was so bad, the trick that the one-trick pony performed was to play dead. The term one-trick pony to describe a circus horse act featuring an animal with a small repertoire of talents first appeared around the turn of the twentieth century. By the mid-twentieth century, the term one-trick pony was being used as an idiom. The plural form is one-trick ponies. Note that one-trick is hyphenated.
Examples
With Pakistan expected to take up the Kashmir issue during the high-level UN General Assembly session this week, India said a “one-trick pony” can “regurgitate” the same act but “single act plays” have no resonance on multi-lateral platforms like the United Nations. (The Economic Times)Although Cal’s budding star is primarily known for his breaststroke, he is far from a one-trick pony, as he happens to be the best 200-yard medley swimmer in the 2018 recruiting class, with a national high school record time of 1:43.55. (The Daily Californian)
The study authors told the Harvard Business Review that experienced hiring managers “said things like, ‘Someone who has accomplished a lot of things is better than a one-trick-pony who just keeps doing the same thing and isn’t taking advantage of what the MBA has to offer.”’ (The Business Insider)
“I am basically trying to show the world that I am no one-trick pony,” said Lawrence, who tied for second in the NFL with 14 sacks last year. (The Austin American Statesman)