I was born in the mid-40’s, and the 50’s would be the decade that I relate to the most. The music was rock and roll, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, and many other great vocalists of that era. I remember how excited I was to go and see “Love Me Tender”, Elvis’ first movie, and they handed out autographed pictures also. We had all of the epic movies in the 1950’s, too, most with Charlton Heston in them somewhere, and in Technicolor and Cinamascope (all words from the 50’s). Even though this was the Cold War with Russia, and we were told that we could be bombed at any minute, life didn’t really change much because of that, at least in my small north Idaho town. The larger cities had bomb shelters downtown, and I remember seeing some of the designated buildings in Spokane, with the little symbol that said there was a public bomb shelter under that building. We watched Nikita Khrushchev take off his shoe and shake it at us from the speaking podium, as he threatened to destroy America, and the next day, he went to tour Disneyland in California........ how strange is that ? We girls had to wear dresses to school, which I hated, but it wasn’t a uniform like some of you had to wear. Skirts had to be close to knee-length, and mine were longer than that. Boys were allowed to wear their knives on their belt to school, but had to turn them in to the teacher during the day, and the high school boys drove the family pickup to school, and all of the hunting rifles were in the back window in the gun rack. Gas was cheap, and cars were huge, and no one even worried about gas mileage. Families went on summer vacations together, most wives didn’t have a job, and they stayed home and cooked real meals for their household, and raised their kids to become good adults (for the most part). Even though I enjoy all of the new technology and advancements we have had since then, the decade of the 1950’s is the one that holds its charm for me.
For lifestyle and music, it is the 60's. ( 50's for Jazz, 60's for Rock ) When it comes to movies, most of my favorites are from the 40's and 50's. Can not imagine being without movies from those years and only had what passes for movies nowadays to watch.
An overlap. Late 60's through early 70's. Lots of changes. Still not too many responsibilities. Music was free on the radio, and all the songs seemed to be at least good, and at best great.
Oh, definitely the 60's. Graduated from high school, went to college, got married and came near to giving birth in the 60's. Great music. Great happenings.
Undoubtedly the 90s. Great time, in fact, my window of time, great opportunities, lots of luck, trouble-free. (Oh, I just realise...Two are better than one.)
Since I made my living playing, for thirty years, and did all types of tunes, I like all good music from all decades 1940's-2010's. My musical awareness started more in the 60's, i suppose, as that's when I first picked up a bass guitar. The music was great, all around me, but i knew I had to go back in time, a bit, to please crowds of different ages, and then go with new tunes, as they came out. My band was billed as, "The Most Versatile Dance Band In The Universe!" Private parties were my stock-in-trade, and I played hundreds of them, every year. With liability issues and Covid, that scene has mostly died.
Definitely the 70s before real life began. As far as music, my mother always listened to gospel, blues, and jazz and the jazz stayed with me until I started high school in the 70s. I listened to all genres of music not so much for the lyrics but for the music. During the 70s bell bottoms, converses high tops, size 3 in boys, my faithful army jacket, and afro. Lots of reading Agatha Christie, Harlequin romance novels, Dr. Seuss, and the Bible, oh, and the newspaper.
The only music I can listen to is from the 50's about teenage love and some from the early 60's about the turmoil of that decade. But then I liked disco too. As for identifying, I guess the 50's.
I can really say the reason I identify more closely with the 50s is because I reached adulthood. I could vote, had more serious romances and had a profession. The freedoms that came with all that were memorable to me.
I would say that he most fun I had in life was in my 60s. The Eisenhower administration (1953-1961) was generally agreed to be the period of the most contentment and happiness for Americans. At age 17 to 25, I enjoyed it too! Harold
Considering my age, it might sound unusual, but the decade I preferred/identified/related to was the 1980s. From my experiences and knowledge, the 1970s were a humungous waste of time. As for music, though, most of my favorite music came from the late 1950s to mid- 1960s- Golden Oldies rock'n'roll, girl groups, Motown, surf music, folk music.