Oldies, Remakes, and Spin-Offs

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 Theme & Word of the Episode:

• The episode focuses on the word "oldie," exploring its definition, history, and how its meaning has shifted over time, especially in the context of music.

Origin and Evolution:

• "Oldie" combines "old" with the suffix "-ie," recorded first in 1874 to describe an old person.
• By the 1940s, it expanded to refer to old tunes or films.
• In the 1960s, as radio became widespread, stations began using "oldies" to describe music from earlier decades (primarily the 1950s and 1960s).

Phrase "Oldie but a Goodie":

• Credited to LA DJ Art Laboe, coined in 1958, originally for compilation albums of recent (not very old) rock and roll records.

Changing Definitions:

• There’s no set time threshold, but "oldie" generally refers to music at least 20–30 years old.
• Songs and media from the 1980s and 1990s are now also considered "oldies" as time passes.

Personal Reflections:

• The hosts discuss how songs meaningful for them or their parents are now seen as oldies. They reference wedding songs by Def Leppard (1987) and others, joking about how music from their own youth is now sometimes called oldies.

Cultural References and Remakes:

• Discussion of "The Wonder Years" (originally aired 1988–1993), and its reboot, and similar generational TV shows like "That '70s Show" (1998) and "That '90s Show."
• They observe how today, shows and music quickly become "oldies" and reflect on generational cycles of nostalgia.

Modern Attention Spans:

• The hosts comment on how viewing habits have changed, with many preferring shorter content or binge-watching series, affecting the longevity and classic status of media.

"Classic" vs. "Oldie":

• Parallels are drawn to cars, which in many US states are "antique" at 25 years, comparing this to the shifting perception of oldies in music.

On Creating Classics:

• They debate whether creators know when they’re making a classic, concluding it's usually not possible.
• Reference is made to "The Office" cast being unaware during production of the show’s future iconic status.

Ending Note:

• The episode wraps up with encouragement to listeners and the hope that perhaps their own podcast will one day be considered a classic or oldie.

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Any views expressed on this podcast are those solely of the hosts and is for entertainment purposes only. None of the content is medical advice or financial advice.

Special thanks to Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE for his permission to use the song Operatique.