Wednesday, May 21, 2008

It's MY Birthday

Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday Rachel Rachel
Happy birthday to me.....

How old am I now?
How old am I now?

Okay... I'm confess. I am 54 today. Let's see what else was going on in 1954 during this week. Gee, 1954 was a long time ago! Things have sure changed.

Top headlines that week were:
May 20 - Chiang Kai-shek becomes president of Nationalist China
May 21 - Amendment to give 18-year-olds right to vote is defeated.
May 22 - 80th Preakness; Johnny Adams aboard Hasty Road wins in 1:57,4

Tops songs for 1954
Make Love to Me by Jo Stafford
Mr. Sandman by Chordettes
Sh-Boom by Crew-Cuts
Oh! My Papa by Eddie Fisher
Hey There by Rosemary Clooney
Little Things Mean a Lot by Kitty Kallen
Secret Love by Doris Day
This Ole House by Rosemary Clooney
Wanted by Perry Como
I Need You Now by Eddie Fisher

U.S. President was Dwight D. Eisenhower
Vice President was Richard M. Nixon

Prices:
Bread ; $0.17/load
Milk: $0.92/gal.
Eggs: $0.77/doz.
Car: $1,950
Gas: $0.29/gal
House: $17,500
Stamp: $0.03/each
Avg Income: $4,684/yr
Min Wage: $0.75/hr

TV Shows;
Make Room for Daddy
Jackie Gleason Show
I Love Lucy
Lassie
The Burns and Allen Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
Dragnet

Best Actor: Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront
Best Actress: Greace Kelly in The Country Girl
Best Picture: On the Waterfront

Okay.... I guess that's enough from 1954! I remember all the TV shows mentioned here, but not all the songs. I have never seen either movie mentioned. Some of you can probably remember some of these depending on how old you are.

18 Comments:

Blogger Gattina said...

Happy birthday to you !!! you are still a young girl, I could have pushed you in a pram, lol !

8:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! Yes, I remember most of those things. Especially the gas prices. I remember them being $0.32 when the stations had gas wars in my high school years about 1968 when I learned to drive. I earned $1.35 an hour as a car hop at A&W and I thought I was making pretty good money. Those were really good years when I lived in my isolated little foothill town in CA.

8:48 AM  
Blogger possum said...

gygWell HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL!!!! Yeah! I remember 1954, I was 10 and in the 5th grade. 54 was the year we moved to Maine. I remember singing all those songs as a kid. Other TV shows were Arthur Godfrey, the Hit Parade... was the Mickey Mouse Club on yet? I think so.
And so you were born! It was an excellent year!

11:23 AM  
Blogger Carole Burant said...

Happy Birthday dearest Rachel!!! Omigosh, I was so upset last night with an email I had received (see my post from last night) that I didn't have the heart to do a post this morning...so don't have a card for you on my blog:-( I promise, I will put one up tomorrow. I do hope your day is going greatttttt and that you're getting thoroughly spoiled!!

Isn't it amazing how things have changed through the years, especially the cost of everything!!! Gas was .29 a gallon...now you can't even buy a drop of it for that! lol xoxo

11:25 AM  
Blogger Ramblings of a Villas Girl said...

Well Happy Birthday Rachel. I hope this day is enjoyable for you. Have a girls night out today and celebrate. Lisa

2:08 PM  
Blogger Fred said...

Happy Birthday, Rachel! Hope you have a great day.

3:21 PM  
Blogger JunieRose2005 said...

Happy Birthday Rachel!


My goodness- Yer just a kid! Just 5 years older than my oldest child! Gee, I could almost be yer mama! (lol-WELLL- I was barely 18 when I had my first kid!)


All those old songs brought back memories for me-good ones! I liked them all! This was just before ELVIS came along and changed the world of music!

Hugs))



Junie

4:08 PM  
Blogger Clara....in TN said...

AWWWWW, I loved the 50's. I've been married ALMOST as long as you have been born! This July will be 52 years.
I remember all of the songs you mentioned, but cannot remember the movies.
I remember bobby socks and poodle skirts and crinolines (the stiff petticoat)
I remember gas being 16 cents a gallon when a gas war was going on.
How time flies....One day we are speeding and the next thing we know we have white hair and whiskers." Lol
Happy Birthday Rachel!!!!

4:23 PM  
Blogger Jerry in Texas said...

Happy Birthday to you, Rachel!

5:15 PM  
Blogger Ralph said...

Happy birthday Rachel. Yes, I am older than you but not by that much. Quit rubbing it in.

Happy bithday and enjoy the day.
Ralph

6:55 PM  
Blogger Susie said...

Happy Birthday dear Rachel!
My youngest brother was born in 1954 and I can remember quite a bit from those times.
They were simpler to be sure.
Hope you have a wonderful day and the coming year is filled with every happiness!
xo

7:12 PM  
Blogger Diane@Diane's Place said...

Happy, HaPpY BiRtHdAy, Rachel! :o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

9:38 PM  
Blogger Peggy said...

happy birthday sweet friend

4:40 AM  
Blogger peppylady (Dora) said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

4:02 PM  
Blogger Jamie Dawn said...

The price of milk and gas really popped out at me.
I can't imagine either of those being that cheap.
I saw the movie On The Waterfront, and it is good.
Marlon Brando is great to watch. A very fine actor.
I was born not too long after you. I was born in 1963, so I'm sure milk and gas prices were dirt cheap then compared to now. Boy, oh boy, things have changed!

I'm wishing you a belated Happy Birthday!
I wish you a very blessed year with lots of love from friends and family - you can count on lots of love from me, your AR blog buddy. I am so excited to see you again! Blogstock will be very memorable and lots of fun.
:-)

11:02 AM  
Blogger Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

Happy Birthday/Bonne Fete!

I am old enough to remember everything on your list.

From those day I remember the Sunday afternoon drive in the car. Our favourite drive was about 30 miles and back to a hilly area and a place known as Forks of the Credit. We would all get an ice cream cone at a small country store and come home. I guess a simple Sunday drive is too expensive now.

6:12 PM  
Blogger Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Unfortunately, I remembered it all...bah humbug.

Happy Belated Birthday Rachel.

2:10 PM  
Blogger nora leona said...

Happy (belated) Birthday Rachel.
I'm sorry that I'm so far behind on reading blogs.
I hope it was wonderful.

12:08 PM  

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