The Political Meaning of “Those Were the Days” (from “All in the Family”)

….a half-century memorial

Written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse — Those Were the Days lyrics copyright Sony/ATV Music Publ., LLC

1. Boy, the way Glenn Miller played,

Songs that made the Hit Parade,

Guys like us, we had it made,

Those were the days.

2. Didn’t need no welfare state,

Everybody pulled his weight,

Gee, our old LaSalle ran great,

Those were the days.

Chorus:

And you knew who you were then

Girls were girls and men were men,

Mister, we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.

3. People seemed to be content.

Fifty dollars paid the rent.

Freaks were in a circus tent,

Those were the days.

Chorus:

Take a little Sunday spin

Go to watch the Dodgers win.

Have yourself a dandy day that cost you under a fin!