Thread: American slang in 1970s

You know how kids today will say 'That sucks' when something is bad? What I need to know is: what was the equivilant of that phrase back in the 1970s in California? Or was it the same?

I hope someone can help. Thanks in advance!

"That sucks" will almost always work. Depends on what part of the 70s and which part of California as to which slanguage was prevalent.

Having been a kid living in California in the '70s, I can assure you 'that sucks' works just fine. Or, depending on the context you mean it, 'no way' was common, too. It's the slang for good things that seems to go through the most changes.

"that's gay" was popular too

re: "that sucks", my favorite bit of ancient roman graffitti: Atia fellate
Atia is a woman's name, and fellate = sucks

as I am sure everyone knows, sucks refers to sucking the male sex organ, which is why polite and literate members of society sometimes cringe at the expression.

Thanks, everyone. Glad to get that sorted out. It was one of the last things I had to finalise in my script. Sooo close to being done! So, thanks.

California had lots regional dialects based on subculture. For example, I was a surfer living in the Los Angeles/Newport Beach area. My favorite term for "that sucks" would be "bogus" or "bummer".

*slaps forehead* Whoa, dude... How could I have forgotten those classics. I knew there was something I was forgetting.

Originally Posted by Wolfson

*slaps forehead* Whoa, dude... How could I have forgotten those classics. I knew there was something I was forgetting.

You must have lots of epiphanies . . . that explains your hairline! LOL

Heh. Those epiphanies must've started with someone else, though, since that glorious hairline started from the back of my head. Since you were in the area, you might 'get it' that at the age of 19 I had a co-worker who'd say to me, "It's Curtis Lyon and his bald spot!" (Hint: Think 'Cal Worthington'.)

So I guess the question remains: Who the heck was smacking the back of my head?

I really doubt 'that's gay' was around in the 1970s as a common phrase. But what do I know, I wasn't around in the 70s.

Hi, I'm a 42 year old who happened across this forum by accident, and I know the answer to this question and have the wrinkles and bad knees to prove it.

The 1970's version of "sucks" was "a drag." As in, "Joey's been such a drag since he started hanging out with that group of guys." And "So how are your studies, Mike?" "Man, they're a total drag."

Source: I was a kid in the Seventies. I was there. If you don't believe "drag" was the 1970's "sucks", watch any episode of PBS's The Electric Company made between 1971 and 1976. The preteen characters The Short Circus, and even the adults, used it all the time because it was the hot slang then.

Thread necromancy rules! Mr. Hendrix gives his opinion about 2 mins 20 secs into this track.

Originally Posted by Wolfson

Heh. Those epiphanies must've started with someone else, though, since that glorious hairline started from the back of my head. Since you were in the area, you might 'get it' that at the age of 19 I had a co-worker who'd say to me, "It's Curtis Lyon and his bald spot!" (Hint: Think 'Cal Worthington'.)

So I guess the question remains: Who the heck was smacking the back of my head?

I think Benny Hill smacked on top and the back of the head.
"Stop dancing up there!"


found a websight(you know they have them about everything)

So you cats can veg out, and get the skinny on some psychedelic sayings. Do me a solid and don't call the fuzz, man.

(personally, I hated the 70's, clothes, sayings and the whole "scene")

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3220857/70s-slang-dictionary