Doris Day (1922-2019) - American actress and singer, started her career as a singer in 1939, reaching commercial success in 1945 with No.1 recordings "Sentimental Journey" and "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" with Les Brown and His Band of renown before leaving to pursue a successful acting career.

"Red China" - Communist victory in China's 1945-1949 civil war led to the creation of the communist People's Republic of China, under Chairman Mao Zedong, with the goal of establishing a socialist society in China and, eventually, worldwide communism.

Johnnie Ray (1927-1990) - American jazz and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist, often cited as the precursor to what would become rock and roll (dubbed the "father of rock and roll" by singer Tony Bennett). Reached peak popularity in the 1950's.

"South Pacific" - Richard Rodger's and Oscar Hammerstein II's musical premiered on Broadway in 1949 and was an immediate hit. Based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book "Tales of the South Pacific", the musical delivered a strong progressive message condemning racism.

Walter Winchell (1897-1972) - American conservative journalist and radio news commentator who rose to national fame in the 1930's with Hearst newspaper chain syndication and his own radio program. His success was attributed to his looser style of presentation incorporating jokes and slang into his announcements. According to biographer Neal Gabler, his popularity and influence is supposed to have "turned journalism into a form of entertainment". A great supporter of Senator Joseph McCarthy, he spread his stories of communist infiltration of the U.S, largely contributing to the red scare.

Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999) - American baseball player, three-time American League Most Valuable Player Award winner and All-Star in each of his 13 seasons with the New York Yankees. Considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time and record-holder for the longest hitting streak in baseball (56 games from May 15 - July 16, 1941).

Joseph R. McCarthy (1908-1957) - American conservative politician who served as a Republican U.S Senator from Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. He became a public face during the Cold War, often attributed to the birth of the "Red Scare". He spread rumours and conducted hearings on communist subversion in the U.S and investigated alleged communist infiltration of the Armed Forces. Following his egress from politics, his name was converted into a term for "1. The political practice of publicizing accusations of disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence; and 2. The use of methods of investigation and accusation regarded as unfair, in order to suppress opposition." by the American Heritage Dictionary, which we know today as "McCarthyism".

Richard Nixon (1913-1994) - was elected vice president of the U.S in 1952 (his presidential campaign, beginning in 1969, is covered later in the song).

Studebaker - In 1954 the Studebaker Corporation (world's largest producer of horse-drawn vehicles and leading automobile manufacturer) merged with the Packard Motor Car Company. Studebaker-Packard lasted 10 years before halting production.

North Korea/South Korea - U.S influence on the South Korean peninsula (below the 38th parallel) and Soviet influence on the North Korean peninsula during their occupation after WW2 effected two wildy different governmental systems which caused a significant conflict (War) during the planned reunification of the country, resulting in the creation of two separate countries.

Doris Day: Popular American actress and singer, iconic for her roles in musicals and romantic comedies.

Johnny Ray: Influential American singer known for his emotional delivery, bridging the gap between traditional pop and rock and roll.

Joe DiMaggio: Famous American baseball player, celebrated for his 56-game hitting streak and marriage to Marilyn Monroe.

Joe McCarthy: U.S. Senator known for leading anti-communist activities and the Red Scare through McCarthyism.

Richard Nixon: U.S. politician who served as Vice President under Eisenhower and later became President.

Studebaker: American car manufacturer known for its distinctive car designs, which faced decline during the 1950s.

Television: Became a major form of entertainment, changing the way people consumed media and information.

North Korea, South Korea: The Korean War (1950-1953) divided the Korean Peninsula into communist North and democratic South.

Marilyn Monroe: Iconic American actress, singer, and model who became a major sex symbol and pop culture icon.

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg: American couple executed for espionage, accused of passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.

H-Bomb: Hydrogen bomb development escalated the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Sugar Ray Robinson: Renowned American boxer, considered one of the greatest fighters in boxing history.

Panmunjom: Site of the Korean Armistice Agreement, effectively ending the Korean War in 1953.

Marlon Brando: Acclaimed American actor, known for his performances in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront".

The King and I: Popular Broadway musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, debuted in 1951.

The Catcher in the Rye: Influential novel by J.D. Salinger, published in 1951, which became a defining work of post-war American literature.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: Became the 34th President of the United States, led the country during much of the 1950s.

Rock Around the Clock: Hit song by Bill Haley & His Comets, widely considered one of the first rock and roll records.

Einstein: Albert Einstein, renowned physicist, died in 1955, remembered for his contributions to theoretical physics and the theory of relativity.

Joseph Stalin: Russian Premier known for his reign of terror and involvement in WW2 dies in 1953

James Dean: Iconic American actor, symbol of teenage disillusionment, known for his role in "Rebel Without a Cause"; died in 1955.

Brooklyn's got a winning team: Refers to the Brooklyn Dodgers winning the World Series in 1955.

Davy Crockett: Popular Disney TV series about the American frontiersman, sparking a national craze.

Peter Pan: Broadway production starring Mary Martin, aired on TV in 1955, beloved children's story.

Elvis Presley: Emerged as the King of Rock and Roll, revolutionizing popular music and youth culture.

Disneyland: Opened in 1955 in Anaheim, California, becoming the first ever theme park of its kind.

Bardot: Brigitte Bardot, French actress, and sex symbol, rose to international fame in the 1950s.

Budapest: Hungarian Revolution of 1956 against Soviet-imposed policies, eventually crushed by Soviet forces.

Alabama: Refers to the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956), pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Nikita Khrushchev: Became the leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin's death, known for his de-Stalinization policies and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Princess Grace: American actress Grace Kelly who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III in 1956.

Peyton Place: Controversial novel by Grace Metalious, published in 1956, depicted the hidden lives of small-town residents.

Trouble in the Suez: Suez Crisis of 1956, where Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, leading to a military conflict involving Egypt, Israel, France, and the UK.

Little Rock: Little Rock Nine, a group of African American students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.

Mickey Mantle: American baseball player, star outfielder for the New York Yankees, known for his powerful hitting.

Sputnik: The first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, initiating the space race.

Chou En-Lai: Premier of the People's Republic of China, played a significant role in the Chinese government during the 1950s.

Bridge on the River Kwai: Acclaimed film released in 1957, depicting the construction of the Burma Railway in World War II.

Lebanon: The 1958 Lebanon crisis, a political and religious conflict involving a U.S. military intervention to stabilize the country.

Charles de Gaulle: Leader of Free France during WWII, became President of France, played a key role in the establishment of the Fifth Republic.

California baseball: Refers to the relocation of the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants to California, becoming the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, respectively.

Starkweather homicide: Charles Starkweather, infamous spree killer, whose murders shocked the U.S. in 1958.

Children of Thalidomide: Tragic consequences of the drug Thalidomide, which caused birth defects when taken by pregnant women in the late 1950s.

John F. Kennedy

Ho Chi Minh

1960:

• British Beatlemania: Fan frenzy directed towards the Beatles

• Dylan: Bob Dylan, major music personality in the music scene

• Eichmann: Capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann, a nazi war criminal

  
  

  1961:

• Hemingway: Death of the American writer Ernest Hemingway

• Stranger in a Strange Land: popular science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein

• Berlin: Berlin Wall, constructed in 1961, symbol of Cold War

• Bay of pigs invasion: A failed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, supported by the US government

  
  

  1962:

• Lawrence of Arabia: A critically acclaimed film released in 1962

• Ole Miss: First African American enrolls at the university of Mississippi

• John Glenn: The first American astronaut to orbit the earth

• Liston beats Patterson: Win of the heavyweight boxing title

  
  

  1963:

• Pope Paul becomes the pope

• JFK is assassinated

  
  

  1965:

• Malcom X is assassinated

  
  

  1968:

• Richard Nixon back again: Political comeback —> president

  
  

  1969:

• Moonshot: Apollo 11 moon landing

• Woodstock: Famous music festival —> embaletic culture movement

  
  

• Watergate – interlocking political scandals of the administration of U.S. Pres during the presidency of Richard Nixon

1973

• Punk Rock – The Stooges and New York Dolls release the first punk albums with Raw Power and New York Dolls respectively, they start the Punk rock music genuinely

1976

• 1976 - the 200th anniversary of the declaration of independence

1977

• Palestine – Israelis create settlements in the West Bank, a region they have occupied since 1967.

• Terror on the airline – Several terrorist skyjacking attempts took place (~5 per year).

• Ronald Reagan – an actor is campaigning for President (he will be elected in 1980)

1978

• Begin – Menachem Begin is Prime Minister of Israel and negotiates a peace treaty (Camp David Accord) with Egypt.

1979

• Ayatollahs in Iran – Islamic revolutionary Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the Supreme Leader of Iran.

• Russians in Afghanistan – The Soviet Union intervenes in Afghanistan to subdue a civil war.

• Wheel of Fortune – Peculiar reference to relatively inconsequential gameshow.

• 1983

• Sally Ride – Sally Ride becomes the first woman in space, with a fantastically suitable name to boot.

• Heavy metal suicide – Heavy metal tracks ‘Suicide Solution’ and ‘Better By You, Better Than Me’ are called into question by the family members of fans of the tracks who committed suicide.

• Foreign debts – Huge financial crashes occur in third world countries owing to deficit inducing terms of trade.

• Homeless vets – An epidemic of homeless Vietnam War veterans surfaces.

• Aids – HIV emerges as a major pandemic.

• 1984

• Crack – An epidemic of crack cocaine besieges American cities.

• Bernie Goetz – Bernie Goetz shoots four young black men he claimed were trying to mug him on a New York City subway. He is cleared of attempted murder charges.

• 1988

• Hypodermics on the shore – Medical waste washes up on beaches of the American eastern seaboard after being illegally dumped at sea.

• 1989

• China’s under martial law – China declares martial law resulting in the iconic Tiananmen Square photo as the military clashes with protestors.

• Rock ‘n’ roller cola wars – Pepsi and Coca Cola use rock stars in marketing campaigns.

• I can’t take it anymore – Billy Joel makes it known that he is not condoning the previous 120 declarations.