01 Feb 09 The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years

Nostalgia ain’t wot it used to be is it?

It’s probably not good to live in the past, and most of the time I’m forward looking. However it’s nice to take a look back every so often, and reminisce about byg0ne days, news, and events.

So, this afternoon, I sat back and watched again, the first four episodes of ‘The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years‘ which was was a BBC television show broadcast between 1985 and 1994.

Each thirty minute show focused on a different year each week, starting with the year 1956 and ending with 1989.

Although many folk bemoan the state of the world at the present time, when one watches these shows, one is reminded that as well as happy times, death and destruction, war and violence, are ongoing themes through history.

One is reminded of how unhealthy we were back then, with factories belching black smoke, and the majority of the population smoking.

Civil rights, in many parts of the world were, at the start of this series, almost non-existent, including the American South of course.

The Cold War was at its height, the United States, USSR, and the UK were conducting atmospheric H-Bomb Tests, and there was a real fear that the button would be pushed by either side.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years, being from the BBC, takes a look at the world from a British perspective, but takes in world affairs from each year.

Some notable happenings in the first four episodes (1956 – 1959) included The Hungarian uprising in 1956; Sputnik’s launch in 1957; The tragedy of the Manchester United Airplane crash of 1958; and Castro’s Revolution in Cuba in 1959.

If you get the opportunity, and you like the music from the 50′s, 60′s 70′s and 80′s, and also the news from those years, it’s a series worth seeing.

Tags: airplan, bbc television, bomb tests, british perspective, days news, death and destruction, destruction war, h bomb, happy times, hungarian uprising, launch, look at the world, manchester united, present time, rock n roll, rock n roll years, s 70, sputnik, world affairs, wot