The 1950's Playlist:

1. Great Balls of Fire
2. Shake, Rattle and Roll 
3. All Shook Up 
4. Blue Suede Shoes 
5. Jailhouse Rock 
6. Mack the Knife 
7. Hound Dog 
8. Unforgettable 
9. That’s Amore 
10. La Bamba 
11. I Only Have Eyes for You 
12. Little Bitty Pretty One 
13. Johnny B. Goode 
14. Rockin’ Robin 
15. Tutti Fuitti 
16. Yakety Yak 

THE FOOD:

The Golden Era was also the beginning of magazines like Good Housekeeping and Family Circle. And the Betty Crocker cook book was practically glued open on the kitchen counter. Housewives were devouring the pages of these magazines and books like gospel- so many of the meals had a similar theme. 
In a 50’s house you may eat this: Pot Roast, Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Casseroles, pork chops, deviled eggs, Jello, Tapioca, pot pie, meatloaf, tomato soup, chiffon pie, pig in a blanket, baked apples.
The brands: Nestea, Instant Cream of Wheat, Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup, SPAM, Campbell’s, Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, Carnation Evaportated Milk, Nestle’s chocolate chips.

Recipes, mm mmm good!

Oven-Fried Corn Flake Chicken 3 lb Chicken; Cut Up, Fryer 2 ea Eggs; Large, Slightly Beaten 4 T Milk 2 1/2 c Corn Flakes; Crushed * 2 t Salt 1/2 t Pepper 5 T Butter; Melted * Crush but do not pulverize the corn flakes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash chicken and pat dry. Mix together eggs and milk. Separately mix corn flake crumbs, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken into milk and egg mixture then into the crumb mixture coating each piece evenly. Set in well-greased baking pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.

THE FACTS:

I know I could handle these prices, if there’s anything that I wish would return, it’s this! Oh, except for the income part ….:) 

In 1950 a new house cost $8,450.00 and by 1959 was $12,400.00 MoreHouse Prices 

In 1950 the average income per year was $3,210.00 and by 1959 was$5,010.00 

In 1950 a gallon of gas was 18 cents and by 1959 was 25 cents 

In 1950 the average cost of new car was $1,510.00 and by 1959 was$2,200.00 More Cars and Car Prices 

We could use more of this......

Dating behavior: Women/girls in the 1950s were pursued by the man/boy. She’s the prize to be sought after. The girl waited for the boy to make the first move. The 1950’s girl is cherished by the boy – he is enthused to accompany her, funds the date, opens doors for her, picks her up at her door, and meets with her parents. Ok, so I’m not a feminsit after all. Oh well.

The FASHION

Oh the fashion! The full skirts and the petticoats, the tiny waists and the built-in bras. Have you ever tried to try on a custom made 50’s dress? Good luck. Unless the woman has the exact body that you have it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to get away with wearing it without at least a few alterations. The 1950’s fashion is all about the silhouette of the woman, the petticoats emphasis the women’s hips and the cone bra helped even the most helpless of flat chested women get “the shape.”

THE SLANG:

What we call “slang” now is a million times more vulgar than any “slang” of the 1950’s. We’ve found a way to take “talkin’ trash” to a whole new level. I’m thinking I may start bringing these slang terms back, just to shake things up:

• Greaser- A guy with tons of grease in his hair, which later came to describe an entire group of people. Yes, John Travolta in Grease.
  
  
• What’s you tale, nightingale- what’s your story? 
• Swell- sweet! awesome! cool! 
• Cream “I’m gonna cream him”- badly damage 
• Cool it- relax, yo. 
• Cruisin’ for a bruisin- I’m gonna kick your arse. 
• Passion pit- the drive-in movie theater 
• Razz my berries- excite me! 
• Word from the bird- the truth 
• Cook, cookin- really great! 
• Backseat bingo- neckin’ in the car 
• Smog in the noggin’- memory loss