Life in the 1960s: December 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Friday, December 30, 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Jim Morrison and Pamela, A God & Goddess of Rock!

He was called Dionysus, the god of revelry. And he lived up to his reputation with all the gusto of the Gods themselves. He was talented, young, and beautiful. He was Jim Morrison, lead singer and the soul of The Doors. Much in keeping of any legendary God of mythology, he lived hard and died young, ensuring him a place atop Rock N' Roll's Mt. Olympus. For all eternity his image will forever be that of the young handsome Dionysus. Jim Morrison has achieved immortality.

Every God needs a Goddess, it cements his fertility and and masculinity. Twenty years before Syd and Nancy there was the first tragic rock couple, Jim and Pamela. Jim Morrison and his flame haired Pamela Courson were the first high profile couple lost on the alter to sex, drugs, and rock n' roll! They are the original hippie Romero and Juliet. Their poisons of choice were drugs and alcohol. Jim died in Paris in 1971 and Pamela died in California in 1974. But they are always together in myth.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Famous Ladies of Swinging England!

Jean Shrimpton

Marianne Faithfull

Twiggy

Pattie Boyd

Swinging London

Jane Asher

LuLu

Britt Ekland

Judy Geeson

Julie Christie

Mary Quant-Designer

Chain of Fools

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Take A Letter Maria

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Carrie Ann

The Muffin Man

60s Slang!

A Gas - Having a lot of fun.

All Show and No Go - Pretty car. Nice wheels and so forth. Looks good put has no go power.

Ape: Used with verbs gone or went. (i.e. "When I came home an hour late my parents went ape.)

Baby – informal greeting - Hey Baby, what's up?

Bad - Awesome

Bad Ass - Tough guy

Bag - Meant to steal. Who bagged my wallet? Also "what's your bag?" What you’re into.

Beautiful People – Kindred hippie spirits

Bum a Smoke - Borrow a cigarette from another person

Beat It - Leave

Birth Control Seats - Referred to cars with bucket seats

Bitchin' - Good, great, or awesome

Blast - Had a great time like "I had a blast at the dance."

Blitzed - Drunk

Bookin' – leaving real fast

Boss - Cool or fantastic - The new album I just bought is boss!

Bread - Money

Brew - Beer

Bum Trip – waste of time, bad event

Bummed Out - Depressed

Candyass - A Wimp or uncool thing or person.

Catch some Z's - Go to sleep

Cherry - Pristine or mint condition. That car is cherry!

Chick - girl or woman

Chicken (To Play) - Two cars drive head on towards each other and the first to pull away is a coward.

Church Key - Before poptop cans, there were openers that were designed to puncture the beer can to drink from it.

Cool - Nice

Cool Head - Nice guy

Cool Pipes - Mellow sounding exhaust system

Cop a Feel - Touching a girl's no touch zone pretending it was accidental.

Crash - go to bed / sleep

Cruising - Driving up and down the strip, street or town looking for members of the opposite sex.

Cutout - leave the scene or area (also see Split)

Decked Out - All Dressed Up

Dibs - Used with the word got. "I got dibs on that seat." Meaning you own it.

Dig (It)- Do you understand?

Ditz - An idiot

Don't Flip Your Wig - In other words don't go ape.

Don't Sweat It - Don't let it bother you.

Dropout - Nonconformist

Dude - A guy

Fab - Fantastic

Far-out - awesome : Also see outta sight

Fine as Wine - Good-looking - as The guy or girl is "fine as wine"

Fink - Tattletale

Five Finger Discount - Anything acquired by theft

Flake - A useless person

Floor Box - floor mounted transmission shifter

Flower Child - A Hippie

Four on the Floor - See Floor Box

Fox (Foxy)- An outstanding looking chick

Freakin' Out - getting excited or a panic attack

Funky – acceptable, cool

Fuzz - The Police

Groovy - Nice or neat

Glasspacks - Mufflers lined with fiberglass to muffle the sound. The shorter the muffler the louder the sound.

Gum Ball Machine - the old fashion lights on a police cruiser

Hacked or Hacked Off - Mad or teed off.

Hairy - Out of control

Hang Loose - Take it easy

Haul(s) Ass - A car really moves. "Tom's Chevy sure hauls ass."

Hip - Very Cool

Hodad - a non-surfer, just hangs around the beach

Hopped up - Souped up like a car

Hunk - What a girl calls a good looking guy

Jive – talk that made little sense

Kissup - Teacher's Pet or person that will do anything to please another person in authority.

Lay It On Me - Tell me or speak your piece

Loaded - Intoxicated or drunk

Love Bite - Also known as a hickey - Red mark on a person made by suction of a kiss by lips and tongue.

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch - It was used to get the storyteller back on track to the story he was telling. In other words, get to the point. It was meant to keep it short. Phrase came from serial westerns.

Midnight Auto Supply - Auto parts stolen

Mod – Modern Fashion

Moo Juice - milk

Moon(ing) - To drop your pants and show your bare butt

Mop Top – A Beatles hair cut

Outta Sight or Out of Sight – awesome: Also see Far Out

Passion Pit - Drive-in Movie

Peel Out - Burn or leave rubber with your car

Pig - Cop or a Promiscuous Girl

Pig Out - Overeat

Pits, the the worst, nasty, bad, awful, meaningless (i.e. "this place is the pits")

Psychedelic – bright, dreamy colors of light and patterns

Rap - to talk, discussion

Ride - car, truck, or motorcycle

Right On - exactly or I second that.

Score - Going all the way with a girl

Shades - Sunglasses

Sharp - Real Good Looking

Skag - An ugly girl

Skank - See Skag

Skuzz - Low down, disgusting person also used as Skuzz bucket- an ugly car. Rust Bucket – old ugly car

Slam Book - a pass around book filled with questions to answer on your fellow classmates.

Slut - very promiscuous girl

Split - leave the scene or area (Also see Cutout)

Solid - I got it or I'm with you

Stacked - A girl well endowed or built

Stoned - High on pot

Stone Fox (Stone Cold Fox) - Extremely beautiful girl

Stood Up - A no-show for a date

Straight – not using drugs

Stuck Up - Conceited

Swapping Spit - French Kissing to the maximum

Sweat Hog - Fat Chick or Fat Guy

The Bird - The Middle Finger

The Man - Authority

Threads - clothes

Toke - taking a puff on a joint

Tough or Tuff - Great looking or cherry "She sure is a tough chick"

Uptight - uncool

Wedgie - When somebody pulls your underwear up from the back and ends in the crack. Some of today's underwear are made for that purpose; they call them thongs.

Wiz, Take a - Urinate

Woody - An erection

Thursday, December 22, 2011

The Price of Living In The 60s

Prices in the 60s

26 inch boys and girls Starjet Bicycle $29.95 Massachusetts 1965

45's records Phonograph records 54 cents each New Jersey 1966

55 piece silver plated set $89.75 Ohio 1962

Alarm Clock $1.99 New Jersey 1966

Blast Shelter you can survive nuclear attack California 1961

Boys Scooters $4.95 Ohio 1962

Chalk and Blackboard set 99 cents Ohio 1962

Childrens Car Seats $5.95 Washington 1964

Childrens Tricycle $9.95 Ohio 1962

Christmas tree Lights $3.49 Massachusetts 1965

Coal $14.95 ton Ohio 1962

Cotton buds Johnson & Johnson 33 cents per pk New Jersey 1966 

            ===================

Apples  49 cents for 3 pounds   Wisconsin 1963

Asparagus 19 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Bacon 79 cents per pound New Jersey 1966

Bananas 19 cents for 2 pound   Maryland   1960

Bananas 10 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Banquet Frozen Dinners 39 cents Wisconsin 1963

Beef Chuck Roast 49 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Broiler Chickens 29 cents per pound Massachusetts 1965

California Grapes 14 cents per pound Massachusetts 1965

Cambells Soup 89 cents for 6 cans Massachusetts 1965

Carrots 15 cents per pound New Jersey 1966

carrots 29 cents for 4 pounds Massachusetts 1965

Cherios 25 cents per pk California 1961

Cheerios Cereal 28 cents per pk New Jersey 1966

Chicken 29 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Colby Cheese 39 cents per pound Oregon 1963

Colby Cheese 39 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Corn 6 for 25 cents Florida 1960

Del Monte Peaches 29 cents per can      1960

Eggs 55 cents per dozen New Jersey 1966

Egg Nog 69 cents per quart Massachusetts 1965

Fast Food Hamburger 20 cents New York 1962

Flour 49 cents for 5 pounds Maryland 1960

Fresh Carrots 9 cents per bunch Massachusetts 1965

Fresh Eggs 49 cents per dozen Maryland 1960

Frozen Chicken Pies 29 cents California 1966

Frozen Cod Fillets 33 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

French fries, Birdseye, frozen 89 cents for 9 ounces New Jersey 1966

Frozen French Fried Potatoes 10 cents for 8 ounces Massachusetts 1965

Gerbers baby Food 25 cents for 3 California 1966

Green Peppers 5 cents each Wisconsin 1963

Ground Beef 45 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Ham 39 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Heinz Catsup 28 cents Massachusetts 1965

Heinz Ketchup 22 cents California 1966

Hickory Smoked Hams 49 cents per pound Maryland 1960

Ice Cream 79 cents half gallon Washington 1964

Jello 35 cents for 4 pks Maryland 1960

Kielbasa 59 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Kraft Deluxe Dinner 39 cents Wisconsin 1963

Kraft Miracle Whip 51 cents Maryland 1960

Kraft Processed Cheese 39 cents 8 ounces California 1966

Lamb Chops 89 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Land O Lakes Butter 67 cents per pound Maryland 1960

Large Eggs 45 cents per dozen Wisconsin 1963

large Eggs 45 cents per dozen California 1966

Lettuce, iceberg 25 cents per head New Jersey 1966

Liver , Calf 79 cents per pound Florida 1960

Macaroni and Cheese dinners 39 cents Wisconsin 1963

Margarine 31 cents per pound California 1966

Mazola Vegatable Oil 69 cents Wisconsin 1963

Miracle Whip 49 cents Wisconsin 1963

North State Frozen Dinners 39 cents Wisconsin 1963

Onions 29 cents for 2 pounds Wisconsin 1963

Oranges 89 cents for 2 dozen Wisconsin 1963

Oven ready Turkeys 39 cents per pound Maryland 1960

Pack of chewing gum 5 cents Maryland 1960

Pork Chops 59 cents per pound Maryland 1960

Porterhouse Steak $1.19 per pound California 1966

Potatoes 39 cents for 10 pounds Wisconsin 1963

Rump Steak $1.49 Massachusetts 1965

Sirloin Steaks 89 cents per pound Maryland 1960

Skippy Peanut Butter 79 cents Massachusetts 1965

Sliced Bacon 29 cents per pound Wisconsin 1963

Spare Ribs 49 cents per pound Massachusetts 1965

Sugar 38 cents for 5 pounds Massachusetts 1965

Sugared Donuts 49 cents per dozen Wisconsin 1963

Swanson Chicken TV Dinner 49 cents California 1961

Sweet Corn 5 cents each California 1966

Sweet potatoes 29 cents for 3 pounds New Jersey 1966

Tangerines 29 cents for 1 dozen Massachusetts 1965

Tide 19 cents Washington 1964

Tide Laundry Soap 59 cents New Jersey 1966

Toothpaste Crest 50 cents New Jersey 1966

Veal Cutlets 68 cents per pound Massachusetts 1965

Watermelon 2 1/2 cents per pound California 1961








Other prices from the 60's


In 1960 a new house cost $12,700.00 and by 1969 was $15,500.00

In 1960 a gallon of gas was 25 cents and by 1969 was 35 cents

In 1960 the average cost of new car was $2,600.00 and by 1969 was $3,270.00

Volkswagon beetle $1,769 From Car Prices in the 60's

Ford Mustang 2 door hardtop $2,368

Misses Swinging Shifts Skirts $5.00 From Prices for clothes and fashions in the 60's

Oxford mens Shoes $12.95

Automatic Can Opener $8.88 From Electrical and Electronic Prices in the 60's

Oven ready Turkeys 39 cents per pound From Price of Food 60's

Modern Walnut Bookcase $29.97 From Furniture Prices 60's

Coal $14.95 ton From Prices for other stuff

26 inch color TV  $379.00  Washington 1964

4 speed reversible drill $28.97 Massachusetts 1965

5 transistor push button tape recorder $12.88 Massachusetts 1965

9 inch portable TV UHF VHF $99.95 Massachusetts 1965

Automatic Can Opener $8.88 Massachusetts 1965

Automatic Electric Blanket $9.94 California 1961

Dishwasher RCA $218.88 New Jersey 1966

Electric Dryer $189.00 California 1961

Electric Sewing Machines $49.95 Ohio 1962

Fisher Stereo Combination $299.00 California 1961

Full Side By Side Fridge Freezer $458.00 Washington 1964

GE Ultra Color TV $395 Massachusetts 1965

Hoover Cleaner $59.95   Wisconsin   1963

Motorola Car Radio $39.95 California 1961

RCA 24 inch Black and White TV $289.00 Maryland 1960

Sunbeam Cordless razor $24.50 Washington 1964

Transistor Portable Radio $6.96 Massachusetts 1965

Transistor radio $6.98 Massachusetts 1965

Waffle Iron $14.98 New Jersey 1966

Walkie Talkies $10.97 per pair Massachusetts 1965

Whirlpool Portable Dishwasher $149.99 Massachusetts 1965

ZIG ZAG Sewing Machine $49.98 Massachusetts 1965

              ===============

Population 177,830,000

Unemployment 3,852,000

National Debt 286.3 Billion

Minimum Wage $1.00

Life Expectancy for males, 66.6 years, females, 73.1 years

Auto deaths 21.3 per 100,000

1960's Average Teacher's Salary $5,174 - Average $/hr $2.56 - $0.50 = 20%

2008 Average Teacher's Salary $50,077 - Average $/hr $24.80 - $5.00 = 20%