Two songs of the 1960's that force me to remember
what it was like to be a teenager...
IN - A - GADDA - DA - VIDA
by Iron Butterfly
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" was written during Iron Butterfly's early days. According to drummer Ron Bushy, organist-vocalist Doug Ingle wrote the song one evening while drinking an entire gallon of Red Mountain wine. When the inebriated Ingle then played the song for Bushy, who wrote down the lyrics for him, he was slurring his words so badly that what was supposed to be "in the Garden of Eden" was interpreted by Bushy as "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".
Back in this turbulent decade (60's), you might expand upon the word "cool" with a word like "boss." That means something is really, really cool.
Among the 1960s hipster contingent, their lingo included phrases to describe superlative experiences:
Something that was wonderful would be "outta sight" (so great or unbelievable, you just couldn't take it all in.)
If something like a musical group was exciting and fantastic, they would be called "fab."
Having the latest and newest of anything, then as now, is of extreme importance to those who are truly hip.
If an event was "righteous," it was fantastic.
If a concert was "groovy," it was both outta sight and cool.
In the dating arena (or "scene" to a teenager in the 1960s):
A pretty girl would be considered "choice."
If she refused your advances, you might be "bummed out" (depressed or upset).
Maybe the problem was with your bread. No, we're not talking whole wheat or rye here, we're talking about "bread" as a 1960s term for money. A lack of bread would be enough to bum anyone out!
Since being cool was of such importance, the worst thing to happen to you (maybe aside from lacking bread) was to be labeled as uncool or "square."
by Arlo Guthrie
The song is a deadpan protest against the Vietnam War draft, in the form of a comically exaggerated but essentially true story from Guthrie's own life: he is arrested and convicted of dumping trash illegally, which later leads to him being rejected by the draft board due to his criminal record of littering (and the way he reacted when the induction personnel brought it up). The title refers to a restaurant owned by one of Guthrie's friends, which plays no role in the story aside from being the subject of the chorus.
Back in this turbulent decade (60's), you might expand upon the word "cool" with a word like "boss." That means something is really, really cool.
Among the 1960s hipster contingent, their lingo included phrases to describe superlative experiences:
Something that was wonderful would be "outta sight" (so great or unbelievable, you just couldn't take it all in.)
If something like a musical group was exciting and fantastic, they would be called "fab."
Having the latest and newest of anything, then as now, is of extreme importance to those who are truly hip.
If an event was "righteous," it was fantastic.
If a concert was "groovy," it was both outta sight and cool.
In the dating arena (or "scene" to a teenager in the 1960s):
A pretty girl would be considered "choice."
If she refused your advances, you might be "bummed out" (depressed or upset).
Maybe the problem was with your bread. No, we're not talking whole wheat or rye here, we're talking about "bread" as a 1960s term for money. A lack of bread would be enough to bum anyone out!
Since being cool was of such importance, the worst thing to happen to you (maybe aside from lacking bread) was to be labeled as uncool or "square."
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