The 50s
The fifties - they seem to have taken place on a sunny afternoon that asked nothing of you except a drifting belief in the moment and its power to satisfy.
- Elizabeth Hardwick
Life in the early 1950’s was still very strict. Women were still obligated to the status of housewife and men were the main breadwinners in the family. Children, including teenagers, were to be seen and not heard but by the mid-1950’s, that was becoming more difficult because of newfound freedoms, rock and roll music, and other outlets teenagers had available to them.
Changes in clothing styles, specifically for teens, started to appear. Guys started wearing their hear longer with sideburns and slicked back with grease. They also wore jeans and leather jackets (with the collar turned up to be “cool”) and the girls wore ponytails, poodle skirts, pedal pushers, and scarves.
Prior to the 1950’s, clothing worn by young people was very reserved and proper but to some extent that changed in the 50’s. For example, poodle skirts were popular with females for a couple of reasons.
The first is that the skirt allowed for easier dancing, being spun around letting the skirt twirled. The next reason is that the skirt was loose and free, a sign of freedom. Leather jackets, cut-off shirts, and slicked back hair allowed the boys to appear as “cool.”
Popular celebrities were very influential, kids wanted to be just like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Ricky Nelson to name a few. One thing to note is that the popular size for women back in the 1950’s is much different than it is today. Curves were popular; those with bigger bust and smaller waistlines like Marilyn Monroe were in style.
Children still obeyed parents. Females were still expected to act a certain “ladylike” way and males were still expected to act like gentlemen. Sex was taboo, premarital sex was not accepted and if a girl found herself “in the family way” (a slang for pregnant) many times she was shipped off to live with relatives or admitted to some special school for girls.
Although, times were changing, major changes didn’t take place until the 1960’s, which saw a shift in morals, attitudes, family life, race relations, and overall feelings about the government. To many, this is why the 1950’s are seen as the best time, when families and morals were intact and times were much simpler and enjoyable.
Not to forget the music of the 50s: Music was expanding; the sound of rock and roll was creeping into the mainstream with the help of radio and television and teenagers were experiencing more independence and freedom than what their parents had as teenagers.
My parents were teenies during the 50s - special thanks to them both for sharing their memories - and for the huge music collection I was allowed to listen to when I was a little one =)
Coffee2go´s Top 50 Songs of the 50s:
- I’m Walkin’ ~ Fats Domino & Ricky Nelson
- Love Me Tender ~ Elvis Presley
- Tequila ~ Champs
- Summertime Blues ~ Eddie Cochran
- Only You ~ Platters
- Great Balls of Fire ~ Jerry Lee Lewis
- Maybellene ~ Chuck Berry
- Lollipop ~ Chordettes
- That’s Amore ~ Dean Martin
- Unchained Melody ~ Les Baxter
- Diana ~ Paul Anka
- See You Later, Alligator ~ Bill Haley & The Comets
- That’ll Be The Day ~ The Crickets
- Charlie Brown ~ Coasters
- Be-Bop-A-Lula ~ Gene Vincent
- Love and Marriage ~ Frank Sinatra
- Shake Rattle and Roll ~ Bill Haley and The Comets
- At The Hop ~ Danny & the Juniors
- Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera Sera) ~ Doris Day
- Crying In The Chapel ~ The Orioles
- This Ole House ~ Rosemary Clooney
- La Bamba ~ Ritchie Valens
- Mr Sandman ~ The Chordettes
- Oh! My Papa ~ Eddie Fisher
- Roll Over Beethoven ~ Chuck Berry
- Kisses Sweeter Than Wine ~ Jimmie Rodgers
- Why Do Fools Fall In Love ~ Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
- Splish Splash ~ Bobby Dari
- Sweet Little Sixteen ~ Chuck Berry
- Johnnie B. Goode ~ Chuck Berry
- Donna ~ Ritchie Valens
- That’ll Be The Day ~ Buddy Holly
- Yakety Yak ~ The Coasters
- If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d Have Baked A Cake ~ Eileen Barton
- Walkin’ After Midnight ~ Patsy Cline
- Unforgettable ~ Nat King Cole
- Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White ~ Perez Prado
- Heartaches By The Number ~ Guy Mitchell
- Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes ~ Perry Como
- Same Old Saturday Night ~ Frank Sinatra
- Banana Boat Song (Day-O) ~ Harry Belafonte
- Peggy Sue ~ Buddy Holly
- You Are My Destiny ~ Paul Anka
- Tea For Two (Cha Cha) ~ Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
- Love Potion No. 9 ~ Clovers
- Rock and Roll Music ~ Chuck Berry
- How High The Moon ~ Les Paul & Mary Ford
- Cry Me A River ~ Julie London
- Tom Dooley ~ The Kingston Trio
- Tennessee Waltz ~ Patti Page
Please cast your vote and let me about your favorite part of the 50s!
… our moment of Homer J.:
Homer: I’ll never wiggle my bare butt it public again
Lisa: I’d like to believe that this time, I really would.
Are you addicted to caffeine...?
