All in the Family
For five years,All in the Family, which aired on CBS from 1971-1983 (in its last four seasons under the titleArchie Bunker's Place), was the top-rated show on American television, and the winner of four consecutive Emmy Awards as Outstanding Comedy Series.All in the Familywas not only one of the most successful sitcoms in history, it was also one of the most important and influential series ever to air, for it ushered in a new era in American television characterized by programs that did not shy away from addressing controversial or socially relevant subject matters.
All in the Family'sstorylines centered on the domestic concerns of the Bunker household in Queens, New York. Family patriarch and breadwinner Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) was a bigoted loading dock worker disturbed by the changes occurring in the American society he once knew. To Archie, gains by the "Spades," "Spics," or "Hebes" of America (as he referred to Blacks, Hispanics, and Jews, respectively), came at his expense and that of other lower middle class whites. Countering Archie's harsh demeanor was his sweet but flighty "dingbat" wife, Edith. Played byJean Stapleton, Edith usually endured Archie's tirades in a manner meant to avoid confrontation. But that was hardly the case with Archie's live-in son-in-law Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner), a liberal college student who was married to the Bunkers' daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers). The confrontations between Archie and Mike ("Meathead") served as the basis for much ofAll in the Family's comedy. As surely as Archie could be counted upon to be politically conservative and socially misguided, Mike was equally liberal and sensitive to the concerns of minorities and the oppressed, and, because both characters were extremely vocal in their viewpoints, heated conflict between the two was assured.
The program was able to keep an especially sharp edge over its first half dozen years thanks to the evolving character development of the series' primary cast members and the infusion of strong supporting characters. Both the Bunkers' African American next-door neighbors, theJeffersons,and Edith's visiting cousin, Maude Findlay (played byBea Arthur), eventually went on to star in successful spin-off series of their own.All in the Familyalso benefited from an occasional one-shot guest appearance, the most memorable of whichfeatured entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., written by comedianBill Dana.
“Those Were the Days” (sung by Archie and Edith Bunker)
Boy the way Glenn Miller Played
Songs that made the Hit Parade
Guys like us we had it made
Those were the days.
And you knew who you were then
Girls were girl and men were men
Mister, we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
Didn't need no Welfare state
Everybody pulled his weight
Gee our old Lasalle Ran great
Those were the days!
Answer the Following…
Analysis: What are these lyrics arguing for? What phrases prove the point?
Context: In the early 1970s , why might these lyrics resonate with a couple in their 50s (the Bunkers)?