NOSTALGIA, THOSE WERE THE DAYS

 

We all think that when we were young

The sun shone for 23 hours a day

Not altogether true

But it seems that way in hindsight

But things always look better looking back

They were more innocent times

More naïve times

There were things that were not said

Or not discussed in mixed company

Now anything goes

For example we didn’t have to endure

Endless TV ads for sanitary products and pantie liners

Thrush medicine or haemorrhoid cream

Or women discussing their bladder weakness or blocked bowels

Way back then we only had the three TV channels,

Which was enough

And the network shut down at 10.30

So we knew when to go to bed

And there was no such thing as daytime telly

The soap of the day was “Coronation Street“

And from America “Peyton Place”

For the kids “Noggin the Nog”

“Mr. Pastry” or the “Wombles”

“Captain Pugwash” with seaman Stanes

And Roger the cabin boy

Comedy like “Sykes”, “The Good Life”

And “Morecambe and Wise”

Sid and Hattie in the “Carry Ons

Grass hopper in “Kung Fu”

“Land of the giants”, “Blake’s Seven” and “Dr Who”

You could still watch sport on terrestrial

With “Grandstand” on the Beeb

And on ITV, Dickie Davis with “World of sport”

Now we have hundreds of channels

Showing the same programs we used to watch on three channels

In the music world the “Rolling Stones”

Were closer to puberty than senility

Music came on vinyl though we just called them records

The first record I bought was “Good news week”

By Hedgehoppers Anonymous

You could buy LP’s, singles and audio cassettes

Even 8 track though not very long lived

Petrol was only five bob a gallon

While beer was just 10p a pint

Penny chews and sweets in a jar

Oh for the time when you could still get

Treats, opal fruits and spangles

Back then gay still meant happy

And everyone wore a ticka ticka Timex on their wrist,

That you had to wind up.

It was a time when we all wanted to be in love

Like Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard in “Brief Encounter”

And we didn’t think it was corny when Bette said

“Gerry lets not ask for the moon we already have the stars”

It was a time when we all wanted to be suave and debonair

Just like Fred Astaire

And dance with panache and savoir fare

Its not that I’m a cup half empty kind of guy

But things do look better looking back

At a time before political correctness was invented

And you could laugh at a joke and not worry

That someone you have never met and probably will never meet

Might be offended by it

Or more likely upset someone who got offended on their behalf

Take me back to simpler times