Oh, such innocent, innocent times—
At least they were in southern climes—
The perfect time to be alive
A time for wholesome fun to thrive.
We danced and danced until we dropped –
The conga line, the bunny hop,
The jitterbug, the shag, the twist,
No other reason to exist.
We laughed a lot—our life was gay
We thought t’would always be that way
Then polio raised its ugly head
The iron lung, the rock-a-bed.
We volunteered with those brave souls
Who never got to rock and roll.
 
Poodle skirts and saddle shoes
“Light My Fire,” and “Summertime Blues,”
Riding bikes on streets at night
Without a care, no fear, no fright;
“Fab, eureka, flip and pill,
On cloud nine” is with us still.
Ring Tennis, badminton, volley ball too
Lots of things for kids to do;
Water skiing at the lake
Driver’s license tests to take.
“Don’t bug me, you ankle-biter,”
Boys’ pegged pants—could they be tighter?
 
“Out to lunch” and he’s so “cool”
“Yes ma’am and sir”, the Golden Rule,
Manners and respect were taught
Opinions of adults were sought
Meals were eaten at the table
By family members who were able;
The day’s events, a funny story—
Family time, in all its glory.
Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Twilight Zone
A new TV—the “thing” to own ;
 Lucy, Hitchcock, and Dragnet
In black and white, with snow, you bet.
And there were super radio shows:
Sky King and The Shadow Knows;
My Saturday mornings could not end
Without the program, “Let’s Pretend.”
 
American history—taught at school
The way it happened, by the rule—
No politics to sway and bend
The sponge-like minds of kids within
Grades were earned, not evened out,
It mattered not, the tears, the pout.
Kids passed or failed, each boy and girl,
Prepared for life – to face the world.
And colleges – with their high fees
Were there to teach, not to appease.
And most important, dads and mothers
Taught kids to respect each other
Fair play was instilled in us--
Cheating, bad—for what purpose?
The fifties—years where young and free
Were just what they were meant to be;
They couldn’t and they didn’t last
But while they did,
It was a blast!