There’s something about theme songs. They’re short. They loop. They sneak into your brain and stay. All In The Family’s opening theme—“Those Were the Days”—did that to me. I loved it as a kid, but I didn’t fully understand it. Lately, I’ve been replaying it, line by line. And wow. What a clever, layered song. Let me walk you through what I now see, and why I think it’s far more than nostalgia.
“Those Were the Days” — A Snapshot of Simpler Times
Lyrics That Yearn
The song starts:
“Boy, the way Glenn Miller played / Songs that made the Hit Parade / Guys like us, we had it made / Those were the days.”
Right there, it leans into nostalgia. Glenn Miller, crooners, and the “hit parade” evoke the 30s-40s, before the turbulence of later decades. The lyrics don’t just miss the past; they frame it as simpler, more ideal, more consistent.
Gender Roles and Social Expectations
“Girls were girls and men were men…”
That line is loaded. Pretty straightforward—it reflects Archie Bunker’s world and his longing for clearly defined gender roles. The kind of certainty that was easier to hold when social change was slower or less visible.
The Theme as Character Revealer
Archie Bunker’s Voice in Melody
Archie isn’t just a character who uses bigoted language; he’s shaped by longing—longing for a past that suits him. The theme isn’t a neutral “good old days” reflection. It’s his anthem. The nostalgia shows us his resistance to change.
Edith’s Counterpoint
Edith Bunker helps balance it. Sure, she sings the same lyrics. But her warmth, her kindness—they soften the edges. Edith isn’t rewriting the message, but she makes the longing feel less rigid. She makes it human. The fact they sing together at the piano, with her playing, is meaningful. It roots the nostalgia in home, in marriage, in shared memories—not just ideology.
Musical Choices That Matter
Simplicity and Intimacy
Instead of full orchestration or a bombastic intro, All In The Family opens with Archie & Edith at home, piano accompaniment, and then applause from a studio audience. That intimacy signals: we’re inside a living room, not a grand stage. It makes the show feel closer, personal.
The Melody & Changes Over Time
It uses a pentatonic melody (in one version). Over years, some lines shift slightly in performance—delivery changes, emphasis changes. For example, Archie’s pronunciation of “welfare state” becomes more whining, almost caricatured in later seasons. Edith’s “high note” on “you were then” becomes more exaggerated. All little changes that show how the characters—and the show’s tone—evolve.
Social Commentary Wrapped in Melody
The False Ideal of the Past
Lines like:
“Nobody needed a welfare state / Everybody pulled his weight.”
These are honest to Archie’s perspective. But they’re idealized—rosy. They gloss over real problems. The show uses this idealization to challenge it: what about those who weren’t “pulling weight”? What about changing economies, civil rights, women’s liberation? The past wasn’t perfect, but through Archie’s eyes, it was something to cling to. The theme song signals that tug—between comfort and denial.
Generational Tension
The song hits at generational divides. Archie laments how things used to be. The younger characters (Mike, Gloria) don’t share all of his values. They push back. So every time “Those were the days” plays, it’s a reminder of the clash that underpins the show. Cultural change, political change, identity—all rattling around Archie’s old songs and longing.
Why I Didn’t Fully Get It—Until Now
Familiarity Without Critical Listening
Growing up, I heard the song every week. But like many theme songs, it became background. It was comforting. I felt nostalgic for things I never lived. I admired the melody and the melodies. But I didn’t dig into the irony, the tension, the critique.
Watching with New Eyes in Later Life
Now I’ve seen more of society’s changes—the political shifts, social justice movements, changing norms. When I watch All In The Family now, I see how the theme doesn’t just set tone—it frames the show’s argument. Archie’s longing is part of the problem. The song isn’t celebrating the past blindly; it’s illuminating how the past is a lens—and sometimes a limiting one.
How the Theme Song Influenced Later TV
Theme Songs as More Than Just Tunes
After All In The Family, other sitcoms started using theme songs to do more: to introduce conflict, to highlight social issues, to set up the worldview of lead characters. The idea of a theme song as “character exposition” became more common.
Nostalgia, Irony, and Modern Storytelling
Shows like The Wonder Years, Family Guy, That ‘70s Show—they all play with nostalgia. But many of them do so with a wink. All In The Family was doing it early, and with seriousness. Whereas some nostalgia is comforting, Those Were the Days asks: at what cost? What did we lose?
The Irony Beneath the Melody
The song plays wistfully, yet the show is full of tension. Archie often says things we cringe at. We laugh, but we know the punch lines are uncomfortable. “Those Were the Days” sets up a contrast: sweet melody vs. biting social reality. This contrast is part of what makes All In The Family powerful—without being preachy, it exposes discomfort.
The Theme Song Charted—Because It Resonated
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The full single version of “Those Were the Days,” released in 1972, made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary chart, showing people connected with it beyond the show.
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It wasn’t just TV fans—it found a place in popular music, proof that its message and melody carried weight.
Why the Opening Performance Itself Matters
Every episode starts with Archie and Edith sitting at the piano. No big production. No flashy opening credits like shows today. Just two characters who represent conflicting truths: one wanting the past, one living in the present. They sing together—but their emotions (her gentleness, his stubbornness) speak louder than the notes.
Reflection: What “Actually Getting It” Means for Me (and Maybe You)
Understanding Doesn’t Mean Endorsement
Realizing that the song is both beautiful and critical doesn’t mean I endorse Archie’s nostalgia. Rather, it means I appreciate the complexity: longing, fear of change, resistance, humor, and critique all intertwined.
Seeing My Own Views in the Song
We all have wistful thoughts sometimes: “things were simpler,” “people were more respectful,” etc. The theme song holds up a mirror: sometimes that’s just memory, sometimes it’s selective, sometimes it’s dangerous. Being aware of the lens helps me appreciate change while acknowledging what’s lost.
Why “I Actually Get It” Feels Important
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It deepens the experience of watching All In The Family. I don’t just hear the melody—I understand the tension it introduces.
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It changes how I see nostalgic art in general. Not as mere longing, but often as something negotiating between past and present.
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It reminds me that pop culture isn’t passive. Theme songs, sitcoms—they shape how we think, not just entertain.
Conclusion
When I was younger, Those Were the Days felt like comfort. A warm chord, a familiar voice, a melody that felt timeless. But now, it feels sharper. I see how the theme song captures memory, resistance, change—and how it frames Archie Bunker’s world while also critiquing it. I realize it isn’t celebrating the past so much as holding it up and saying: “Look what you miss, look what you ignore.” That tension is what makes All In The Family endure. Because in loving the theme song and then unpacking it, I got something more than nostalgia—I got understanding.
