The phase “what a rush” was used a lot in the 70s. I believe it refered to the feeling you get from certain drugs that send a shiver up your spin, but it transformed into a word that was used to describe anything exciting.
The word “decent” seemed to be overused a lot in our circle. Decent people, decent cars, decent everything. I remember it most affectively used to complement the quality of your doobage.
Things were also quite “mellow” in the early 70s, the drug scene seemed to shift from the hair-pulling psychedelics, to things that were more of a mellow high (downers, coke, etc).
HIJACK- This whole discussion reminded me to look up something that now surprises me.
I assumed “nerd” was a term coined for HAPPY DAYS and wasn’t actually in use during the 1950’s. A month ago, I was dismayed to see that William F. Buckley Jr had used it in his 1964-era novel GETTING IT RIGHT.
I just googled it & was amazed that it actually did arise during the 1950s.
So did it fall out of use & get revived by HAPPY DAYS?
I know exactly what you mean, but did grok ever get mainstream currency?
I started tossing around Groovy for no apparent reason about 5 or 6 years ago. I just needed a word & picked it, no sarcasm or irony behind it. Now I don’t even think about it and lemme tell ya, it’s a total ice breaker.
I’ve tried werve a few times and boss and neat-o (neato-bandito is, however, amazingly effective) with little reaction, but groovy still has a lot of power if wielded properly. Never heard a real life human utter it in the 70s though.
The late, great Larry Storch was, of course, “the Groovy Guru” on 'Get Smart".
I still use lots of dumb 60’s/70’s words - groovy, super groovy, heavy - just yesterday I sent a memo out describing something as a “draggy scene”. But, back to the OP the 70’s weren’t “groovy” per se, they were, as I recall, indeed, cool.
I graduated HS in 1977, I don’t remember anyone ever using it as a “cool” word. Although, as you said, I do remember on occasion some using it in a sarcastic way.
He lives! good Lord! The man is indomitible! Larry, if you’re out there lurking, I’m sorry - and I think it’s high time the academy acknowledged your work…
Spent a happy afternoon yesterday watching Yellow Submarine for the first time in 23 years – found the video I recorded in 1982 off WPHL in Philadelphia, and yes, we watched the adverts as well, yikes! – anyway, The Beatles (or rather the actors speaking the Beatles’ roles) described things in Pepperland as ‘groovy’ at least once…
groovy had become a bad cliche by 1970 or 71. It was used by teachers who thought they could “relate to you better” by speaking in slang. But anthing said by somebody wearing a suit is definitely un-groovy and un-cool.
I like you- I used to do the same thing, when I was in middle school in the late 80s. Dressed like a hippie, too.