Berlin, who was Jewish, was one of the few Tin Pan Alley/Broadway songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. Although he never learned to read music beyond a rudimentary level, he composed over 3,000 songs. Many of his songs, including "God Bless America", "White Christmas", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", and "There's No Business Like Show Business," left an indelible mark on American music and culture. He produced 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores, in addition to his individual songs.
Crinoline Days
Irving Berlin Lyrics
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Days that were golden
Memory often strays
Before anyone could gaze
At Molly's and May's
Little ankle displays
Time with its changes
Often arranges
Styles that become the craze
But I am yearning
To be returning
Back to those crinoline days
In those dear old crinoline days
Old fashioned people with their old fashioned ways
When the girl a fellow courted
Was the girl he married and supported
Back in eighteen seventy-four
Rosy complexions weren't bought in a store
Granny and grand-daddy longingly gaze
Back to those crinoline days
The song "Crinoline Days" by Irving Berlin is a nostalgic look back at the days of old, specifically the late 19th century. The term "crinoline" refers to the hoop skirt worn by women during this time period, and the song celebrates the fashions, customs, and social norms of that era. Berlin sings of the "golden" memories of Molly and May's little ankle displays, reminiscing about a time before people were so fixated on appearances and before styles changed so frequently. He yearns to return to those simpler times, when courtship was straightforward and people had more wholesome values.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of progress and change over time. Berlin acknowledges that time with its changes often arranges styles that become the craze, but despite this, he still longs for the crinoline days of old. He describes the people of that era as "old fashioned," but he doesn't use the term pejoratively; instead, he seems to be appreciating their sturdiness and simplicity. The final lines of the song speak to this sentiment, as the grandparents of the present day "longingly gaze" back to those crinoline days with fondness and nostalgia.
Overall, "Crinoline Days" is a wistful and romantic song that idealizes a past era when things seemed simpler and more wholesome. Berlin's nostalgic lyrics evoke a sense of longing for a time that perhaps never really existed, but nonetheless speaks to a universal desire for simplicity and stability.
Line by Line Meaning
Back to the olden
Let's go back in time
Days that were golden
To good old days
Memory often strays
We often think back
Before anyone could gaze
Before anyone was judged
At Molly's and May's
At the girls named Molly and May
Little ankle displays
When girls showed just a little ankle
Time with its changes
Time with its different eras
Often arranges
Often changes
Styles that become the craze
Fashion trends that become popular
But I am yearning
But I really want
To be returning
To go back
Back to those crinoline days
Back to the days when crinoline dresses were worn
In those dear old crinoline days
In those beloved days when crinoline dresses were worn
Old fashioned people with their old fashioned ways
People who acted and dressed more traditionally
When the girl a fellow courted
When a man formally pursued a woman
Was the girl he married and supported
The woman he courted was the one he married and provided for
Back in eighteen seventy-four
In the year 1874
Rosy complexions weren't bought in a store
People didn't have to buy makeup to look healthy
Granny and grand-daddy longingly gaze
Older people yearn for those days
Back to those crinoline days
Back to the days when crinoline dresses were worn
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind