Those Were the Days
The Hit Crew Lyrics
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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.
The Hit Crew's song "Addams Family Theme" uses a nostalgic tune and lyrics to pay homage to the past. The song describes a time when life seemed simpler and more predictable. The opening lines pay tribute to Glenn Miller, a prominent composer and bandleader during the swing era. The mention of the "hit parade" is a reference to the weekly radio broadcast of top-selling songs. The song suggests that during this period, young men like the singer had easy access to success.
The line "Didn't need no welfare state, everybody pulled his weight" suggests that there was little government assistance, and people were self-sufficient. The reference to the LaSalle car highlights the idea that things could be repaired and maintained rather than discarded and replaced, as happens so often today. The line "Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again" is a nod to the time prior to the Great Depression when people felt secure and optimistic.
Moving to the second verse, the song continues to describe the simpler times. With a little money, people could go see a baseball game and have a good time. The reference to Kate Smith, a famous singer from the era, hints at the power of music to bring people together. Despite the sense of nostalgia and longing for the past, the song recognizes that "those were the days" without fully understanding what went wrong.
Line by Line Meaning
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played songs that made the hit parade.
Glenn Miller was an artist whose songs were famous and topped the charts.
Guys like me we had it made.
People like me were happy and satisfied with life.
Those were the days.
Those were the times when life was easy and happy.
Didn't need no welfare state, ev'rybody pulled his weight, gee our old LaSalle ran great.
People worked hard to earn a living, and they didn't require any government assistance. They were happy with whatever they earned and lived life to the fullest.
And you knew who you were then, girls were girls and men were men.
People had a clear understanding of their gender identities and didn't need to conform to any societal norms or ideologies.
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.
We need a leader like Herbert Hoover, who can guide us and make the country prosper.
People seemed to be content, fifty dollars paid the rent, freaks were in a circus tent.
People were happy with their lives, and a modest sum of fifty dollars was enough to pay for rent. People who were considered different or eccentric were accepted and celebrated in society.
Take a little Sunday spin, go to watch the Dodgers win, have yourself a dandy day, that cost you under a fin.
People enjoyed indulging in small pleasures like going for a drive, watching a baseball game, and having a good meal without spending too much money.
Hair was short and skirts were long, Kate Smith really sold a song.
Fashion styles of the time were different; women's hairstyles were short, and skirts were long. Kate Smith was a famous singer of the time.
I don't know just what went wrong, those were the days.
We can't pinpoint what went wrong, but we miss the time when life was simple and happy.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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