’90s Sayings
Giving this percentage means doing your very best.
What is 110? Lake Superior State University added the saying giving 110 percent to its list of banished terms in 1998 due to its illogical nature.
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, Americans were captivated by the romance between Jacqueline Kennedy and him.
Who is Aristotle Onassis? The couple married in 1968 after a long friendship.
In 1971, his Rabbit Redux made the list of bestsellers; it is a sequel to his well-known earlier work.
Who is John Updike? There are four total books in Updike’s Rabbit series.
Boeing created a historic automobile, a roving vehicle that in July 1971 went on a mission to explore this.
What is the moon? The lightweight vehicle was able to reach 11.2 miles per hour and is still on the moon today.
The 26th Amendment is ratified, lowering the voting age by three years.
What is the 1970s? The amendment passed in July 1971, changing the voting age from 21 to 18.
This man sings the line “The morning sun when it’s in your face really shows your age.”
Who is Rod Stewart? Though popular on the radio to this day, “Maggie May” was actually the B-side for “Reason to Believe.”
This alliterative saying, meaning “ta-da” or “voilà,” was the name of a club on the TV show The Sopranos.
What is “Bada Bing”? The phrase dates to around 1965 but was popularized in ’90s slang.
While dating this musician in 1989, Kim Basinger reportedly recorded an unreleased album with him.
Who is Prince? Her family did not approve of the relationship and reportedly caused the split between them.
His Islands in the Stream was a bestseller in 1970.
Who is Ernest Hemingway? Islands was the first of his unpublished novels released by Mrs. Mary Hemingway.
Introduced in 1997, this boxy Toyota hybrid vehicle sparked the electric car craze.
What is the Prius? Prius chief engineer Takeshi Uchiyamada later became the chairman of Toyota’s board of directors.
The first use of the written word internet to describe a tech phenomenon is recorded.
What is the 1970s? The term internet was first used by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn in their research paper on internetworking, published in 1974.
It was in this song that Elton John sang, “Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band.”
What is “Tiny Dancer”? The popular song is featured in the 2000 film Almost Famous.
In the ’90s, something great was “all that and a bag of” these.
What are chips? The funny phrase was popularized as a pick-up line in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Through romantic ups and downs, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s relationship inspired the music of this group.
Who is Fleetwood Mac? Their turbulent relationship also inspired the 2019 novel Daisy Jones & The Six.
In the 1980s, Robert Ludlum penned a series of bestsellers about this CIA operative.
Who is Jason Bourne? The books are continued now by Brian Freeman and have inspired several films.
In the 1970s, many carmakers started to include stereos capable of playing these square music storage devices.
What are cassette tapes? Cassettes competed with 8-track tapes because they fit better in glove boxes.
The Cold War is formally ended at Camp David.
What is the 1990s? President George H. W. Bush met with Russian President Boris Yeltsin to declare an end to the war in 1992.
In his song “1999,” he sings that “life is just a party, and parties weren’t meant to last.”
Who is Prince? Despite its upbeat sound, it is a protest song written about nuclear weapons.
Among the acronyms used in the ’90s, FYI became popular shorthand for this phrase.
What is “for your information”? Though in use since the 1940s, its popular everyday use has been on the rise since the ’90s, and it is used in texting lingo to this day.
Iconic in French culture as well as globally, her relationship with Serge Gainsbourg began as costars in the film Slogan.
Who is Jane Birkin? Despite initial dislike, they fell in love after a cast party.
A bestseller in 1977, The Silmarillion includes the history of this fictional land conceived by J. R. R. Tolkien.
What is Middle Earth? The book is notably complex and delves into the mythology of this created world.
In 1974, the first digital dashboard display debuted in a Lagonda, by this automaker.
What is Aston Martin? The display data included speed, fuel, and temperature readings.
Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns over corruption and tax evasion charges.
What is the 1970s? He resigned on October 10, 1973, and Gerald Ford was later nominated and confirmed as his replacement.
In “Come On Eileen,” this musical group sings, “No not us (no never); We are far too young and clever.”
Who are Dexys Midnight Runners? The band released this smash hit at a time when they were struggling and considering quitting music altogether.
If you wanted someone to quiet down in the ’90s, you might encourage them to talk to this body part.
What is the hand? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the saying originated as campus slang at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
This former power couple and parents of Alexa Ray Joel still host Christmas sing-alongs together.
Who are Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel? Their daughter is also a singer-songwriter, following in her father’s footsteps.
A best-selling author throughout the ’80s, Danielle Steel is known for novels like Secrets in this genre.
What is romance? Steel has sold over one billion books worldwide, in 43 languages.
In 1996, General Motors introduced this “celestial” safety system, which alerts 911 in the event of an accident.
What is OnStar? Today, the system can use a smartphone’s GPS feature to give emergency services the exact location of the vehicle.
Reagan challenges Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall,” opening Eastern Europe to various reforms.
What is the 1980s? In 1987, the pair signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty to control nuclear weapons.
In 1983, she sang “I wanna be the one to walk in the sun; Oh, girls, they wanna have fun.”
Who is Cyndi Lauper? The song is actually a cover of a 1979 single by Robert Hazard, but Lauper reworked it into a girl power anthem.
This apian-sounding term for someone with a depressing or negative effect first appeared in 1992.
What is a buzzkill? The term even sparked a short-lived show on MTV.
This is the surname of socialites Diane and Egon, a socialite power couple of the jet set in the 1970s.
What is Von Furstenberg? The two met at a party in Lausanne, Switzerland, when they were both college students.
Two of his ’70s bestsellers are QB VII and Trinity.
Who is Leon Uris? Despite being a noted author, Uris failed English three times and did not graduate high school.
In the 1990s, the modern version of this speed-maintaining setting emerged.
What is cruise control? The modern version includes lidar, sonar, and more to help the vehicle safely maintain speed and avoid accidents.
The Pentagon Papers are published by The New York Times.
What is the 1970s? These classified documents detailed involvement in the Vietnam War and were first published in June 1971.
In “Stairway to Heaven,” Led Zeppelin reassures listeners not to be alarmed if there’s a bustle in their… this.
What is hedgerow? The song was inspired by wanting an epic new sound with both acoustic and electric instruments.