Just like fashion, language changes over time, and the things that looked or sounded good in the past aren’t so irrelevant. Baby boomers use plenty of phrases and sayings that we may not know about. Here are 18 of them, their meaning, and how to use them.
Groovy
You just can’t get more ‘60s than the word “groovy,“ and boomers used to use this to talk about anything that was super cool and happening. They used it in almost every situation, whether it was a music review or someone describing their new lava lamp. “Lit” has a similar meaning today but doesn’t hit quite the same as “groovy.”
Far Out
Likewise, saying “far out” was a boomer’s way of talking about something they thought was awesome or completely out of this world. You could use it for regular things, like when you heard the new Beatles record for the first time, but also for unusual things, like seeing the first people land on the moon. It’s a really versatile word.
Sock It to Me
If you’ve ever seen “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” then you’ve probably heard “Sock it to me” quite a bit. This was a way of telling someone to lay it on you, like a joke or just some gossip. It was a phrase that told people that you were both ready and eager to hear about whatever was coming next.
Can You Dig It?
“Can you dig it?” was a question that ensured everyone was on the same page. If someone asked you if you could “dig it,” they wanted to know if you understood them or maybe even if you were into the same things. It sounds much better than asking something like, “You cool?” because it gives you more of a mental image.
Catch You on the Flip Side
Even with all the different ways we have of saying goodbye today, nothing will quite beat telling someone, “catch you on the flip side.” It’s a little similar to the French term “au revoir” because it meant that even if you were saying goodbye, you’d reconnect again later. This came from when vinyl was king, and there was always another side to come back to.
Sit On It
“Sit on it” is another phrase from TV, this time from “Happy Days.” This became the nicer way to tell someone to either take a hike or just shut up. You could use it to tell off that annoying friend without starting a fight because it was bold enough without being too harsh.
Bummer
For all the phrases boomers use to talk about good things, they also had plenty for those bad times in life, and “bummer” is a good example. This was a classic way to show they felt disappointed or dissatisfied with something, whether that was canceled plans or a broken car radio. You could just shrug it off with a “bummer.”
It’s a Drag
Similarly, you could also call something a “drag” if it was boring or a letdown, like being stuck at a lame party or having to do some tedious work. This was a useful phrase to talk about something that just wasn’t exciting without sounding nasty about it. Honestly, this is a phrase we think should make a comeback.
Don’t Blow Your Stack
“Don’t blow your stack” was another phrase boomers would use to calm someone down. It was a way of warning them not to lose their cool and to just keep calm and carry on instead. Whenever you wanted to remind someone that things weren’t worth popping a vein over, “don’t blow your stack” was an easy-breezy way to do this.
Let’s Blow This Popsicle Stand
When you had itchy feet and were ready to move on, you’d say, “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” It didn’t matter why you wanted to leave in the first place; this was just a saying that let other people know you were keen to go. Mostly, though, people used it for boring events or when they just wanted to switch up the scenery.
Jive Turkey
Someone who was talking nonsense or trying to trick you was a “jive turkey.” It was a phrase you’d use to call out someone fake and show that you weren’t having any of their nonsense. “Jive” is a phrase that came from the 1940s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that people paired it with “turkey” to mean a whole new saying.
Keep On Truckin’
“Keep on truckin’” has pretty much the same meaning as “Keep on swimming.” It means that no matter what happens, you must keep going by pushing through the difficulties or continuing with life’s struggles. After all, that’s a pretty good life lesson, and it’s probably one of the reasons that boomers are so tough.
Peace Out
For every “groovy” way of saying hello, you had plenty of ways to say goodbye, and “peace out” was one of them. It comes from all those peace movements that were around when boomers were younger. “Peace out” kept your goodbye positive and told everyone to stay chill until you met them again.
Hunky Dory
Those days when you’re feeling good and everything’s in its place are the ones boomers would describe as “hunky-dory.” Even if something small went off without a hitch, “hunky-dory” was the perfect phrase to say everything was going smoothly. It’s unclear where it came from, though it may have been from the Dutch word “honk.”
Outta Sight
Boomers had many ways to describe good things, and “outta sight” was yet another way of doing it. You’d use it to talk about things that were really cool or impressive to show that you were wowed beyond belief. It’s a phrase that really captures the amazement of experiencing something truly amazing.
That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles
When you had one of those days where nothing goes right, even after you’d done all you could, boomers would say, “That’s the way the cookie crumbles.” It was their way of saying that life is unpredictable and you must accept how things turn out. You just can’t fix some things.
Knee-High to Grasshopper
If a boomer sees someone really young or they’re talking about when they were little, they might say they were “knee-high to a grasshopper.” While it sounds a little strange, it’s a perfectly normal way to talk about how much time has passed or how much they’ve grown since you last saw them. It’s a saying that’ll take you right back to your childhood.
Square
Nobody wanted to be called a “square“ back in the day because that meant you were out of touch or too traditional. Worst of all, it could even mean that you were a little boring. It was the ‘60s and ‘70s equivalent of being called “basic” today, though it seems a little meaner than even that.
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