Downer: An unpleasant experience (or person).

Here are some of the most popular expressions used to provide commentary on various experiences: Just like today, life in the '60s was full of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Souped up: Lots of extra parts on a car (usually to make it faster).

Race for pinks: Race cars when the winner keeps the loser's car.

Peel out: Accelerate quickly, leaving rubber on the road.

Midnight auto supply: Stolen auto parts.

Lay rubber: Stop fast and leave wheel marks on the road.

Chinese fire drill: When four people get out of a car at a red light and exchange places in the car.

Chicken/To play chicken: Two cars driving towards each other.

Burn rubber: Squeal tires and leave rubber on the road.

Brody: Skid half a circle in a car with the brakes locked.

Bone yard: A place to put junk or wrecked cars.

Bench racing: Sitting around and talking about the speed of their cars.

The '60s were an era of rebellion so, to no surprise, that means some exciting car lingo. Since being cool was of such importance, the worst thing to happen to you (maybe aside from lacking bread) was to be labeled as uncool or 'square.'įast cars and fast lives. A lack of bread would be enough to bum anyone out! No, we're not talking whole wheat or rye here, we're talking about 'bread' as a 1960s term for money.

If she refused your advances, you might be 'bummed out' (depressed or upset).

A pretty girl would be considered 'choice.'.

In the dating arena (or 'scene' to a teenager in the 1960s): If a concert was 'groovy,' it was both outta sight and cool.If an event was 'righteous,' it was fantastic.

Having the latest and newest of anything, then as now, is of extreme importance to those who are truly hip.

If something like a musical group was exciting and fantastic, they would be called 'fab.'.

Something that was wonderful would be 'outta sight' (so great or unbelievable, you just couldn't take it all in.).

Back in this turbulent decade, you might expand upon the word 'cool' with a word like 'boss.' That means something is really, really cool.Īmong the 1960s hipster contingent, their lingo included phrases to describe superlative experiences:

Hippie ways of life