Those Were the Days
Carroll O'Connor & Jean Stapleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
People seemed to be content
fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin
go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin
Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days
Carroll O'Connor's song Those Were the Days is an ode to the past, reminiscing on the good old days when life was supposedly simpler and better. The lyrics vividly paint a picture of an era in which everything seemed to be in its place; from the popularity of Glen Miller's chart-topping music, to the ease with which people lived their lives without being dependent on a welfare state or government assistance. The nostalgia for the past is evident in the lyrics, with lines such as "And you knew who you were then, girls were girls and men were men" serving to highlight the changes that have ensued since the good old days.
The song also yearns for a bygone era when leadership was appreciated and respected, longing for the return of men like Herbert Hoover, who was the US President from 1929 to 1933. There is a sense of wistfulness for a time when social order was apparently maintained, people were happier and seemed to be content with their circumstances, and life was less complicated. Essentially, Carroll O'Connor's song Those Were the Days is a celebration of a time that is long gone and can never be regained.
Line by Line Meaning
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
I remember the great music of Glenn Miller
songs that made the hit parade
The songs Glenn Miller played were popular and widely loved
Guys like me we had it made
Back then, guys like me had a good life
Those were the days
I miss those times
Didn't need no welfare state
We got by without government assistance
ev'rybody pulled his weight
Everyone worked hard and contributed to society
gee our old LaSalle ran great
We had good cars that worked well
And you knew who you were then
We had a clear sense of identity and purpose
girls were girls and men were men
Gender roles were more clearly defined
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
We need strong leadership like we had with Herbert Hoover
People seemed to be content
Overall, people were happy and satisfied with their lives
fifty dollars paid the rent
Rent was much cheaper back then
freaks were in a circus tent
We had more acceptance for people who were different
Those were the days
I miss those times
Take a little Sunday spin
Going for a drive on a Sunday was a popular activity
go to watch the Dodgers win
Watching the Dodgers baseball games was a fun pastime
Have yourself a dandy day
Enjoy your day and make the most of it
that cost you under a fin
It was cheap to enjoy life's simple pleasures
Hair was short and skirts were long
Fashion styles were different than today
Kate Smith really sold a song
Kate Smith was a popular singer who had great talent
I don't know just what went wrong
I'm not sure why things changed so much
those were the days
I miss those times
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES STROUSE, LEE ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@damianperez6685
Boy, the way Glen Miller played.
Songs that made the Hit Parade.
Guys like us, we had it made.
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state.
Everybody pulled his weight
Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.
Those were the days
And you knew where you were then
Girls were girls and men were men.
Mister, we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.
People seemed to be content.
Fifty dollars paid the rent.
Freaks were in a circus tent.
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin,
Go to watch the Dodgers win.
Have yourself a dandy day
That cost you under a fin.
Hair was short and skirts were long.
Kate Smith really sold a song.
I don't know just what went wrong
Those Were the Days
@mattburgess286
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
And you knew who you were then
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
People seemed to be content
fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin
go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin
Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days
@rusty.ramrod
your welcome...
Lyrics
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
And you knew who you were then
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
People seemed to be content
fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin
go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin
Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days
@chris13435
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
And you knew who you were then
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
People seemed to be content
fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin
go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin
Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days
@denzilroland4011
For some reason, this is very nostalgic and sentimental to me... miss the simple age of TV.
@trainsntile
Agreed, Denzil, agreed!
@d.a.elliottjr.367
Like the song says, those were the days.
@musiccollector
From the Golden Age of Television.
@chill2363
REMEMBERING meat head the son inlaw 😂🤣
@invoice0001
Right! Think of how the words of that song apply to today.
@musiccollector
One of the greatest shows of ALL time! That is an understatement, in fact. I not only LOVE the theme song but also LOVE the intro and extro video of the old houses. May this iconic show live forever.
@GawgaCracka
Fact is, it's true "THOSE WERE THE DAYS"!!
@bar0326
For real
@heidimarie8179
"All in the Family." 😀 Such great memories watching this with my dad when I was a kid. This is great