by · Published May 11, 2019 · Updated May 11, 2019 “Those Were the Days” was designed to represent the worldviews of the television characters Archie and Edith Bunker, who were a married couple. Archie in particular was a bigot who cleaved to traditional American values despite the fact that during the 1970s (the decade in which the television show
“All in the Family” aired) the nation was going through major ideological changes due primarily to the aftereffects of the 1960s. So this song finds the couple reminiscing affectionately about times past, stating that “those were the days”, as in a better era then the one they were currently living in. And in the process, they seem to make veiled attacks against homosexuals and perhaps even feminists by advocating deadset gender roles. They also may have criticized
racial minorities in a roundabout way, as such people are often perceived to be the main beneficiaries of “welfare states” in America. And the past decade they seem to be particularly fond of is the 1930s, as they reference Herbert Hoover (US President from 1929-1933), Glenn Miller (a musician who peaked in the latter part of that decade) and LaSalle (a Cadillac that was produced from 1927-1940) in a positive light.
Facts about “Those Were the Days”
- This song was written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams specifically for All in the Family, presumably in 1971, the first season the show aired.
- In fact the original title of that television program was actually Those Were the Days.
- The characters of Archie and Edith Bunker were played respectively by Carroll O’Connor (1924-2001) and Jean Stapleton (1923-2013).
- Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton actually performed this song (in character) before every episode of All in the Family throughout most of its run when it was filmed in front of a live audience. Indeed Strouse and Adams are best known for writing theater music (i.e. for Broadway).
Tags: All in the FamilyArchie and Edith BunkerThose Were The Days
Music written byCharles StrouseLyrics written byLee AdamsLanguageEnglishISWC T-070.183.456-1 ASCAP, GEMA,
ISWC
Comments Theme from the TV sitcom All in the FamilyPublished by EMI WORLDTRAX MUSIC INC ASCAP, GEMA
Licensing Request a synchronization license
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Submitted by 23skidoo
Added by
sebcat
- Originals
- Highlights 3
- Versions 14
- Adaptations 2
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First broadcast by
Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton (January 12, 1971) Originals
Those Were the
Days
First release by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton (November 1971)
Adaptations
An adaptation is a musical work which uses most of the music or lyrics of another musical work.
- Those Were the Days written by Charles Strouse, Lee
Adams English November 1971
- Oh wat een tijd written by Leonard Beuger Dutch 1975
- All in Fuhrman's Family written by unknown author(s) English 2002
Versions
Those Were the Days written by Lee Adams, Charles Strouse English
Those Were the Days | Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton | First broadcast on January 12, 1971 | |||
Those Were the Days | Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton | November 1971 | First release | ||
Those Were the Days | Henry Mancini and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by The Willows Sisters | January 1972 | |||
Those Were the Days | Sammy Davis, Jr. | 1977 | |||
Those Were the Days | The Grabbers | 1997 |
Those Were the Days written by Charles Strouse instrumental
i | (Theme from TV Series "All in the Family") Those Were the Days | The Magic Organ | May 1972 | ||
i | All in the Family (Those Were the Days) | Floyd Cramer | April 1980 | ||
i | Those Were the Days | Joe Krown | September 2003 | ||
i | All in the Family | 8 Bit Arcade | October 2015 | ||
i | Those Were the Days | 8-Bit Universe | February 28, 2020 | ||
i | Those Were the Days | Wendell H. Mills II | February 10, 2021 | ||
i | Those Were the Days | Bill Easley | March 2022 |
Oh wat een tijd written by Leonard Beuger Dutch
Oh wat een tijd | Bill Brookers Jug Band | 1975 | First recording on September 19, 1975 First release |
All in Fuhrman's Family written by unknown author(s) English
All in Fuhrman's Family | Bob Rivers | 2002 | First release |
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