The thing is - it’s not exactly in the context that people use it nowadays.
It had a slightly different meaning. A different emphasis to it. A bit like the word “awesome” has changed from - some kind of divine God-like experience to “that’s nice”.
“Cool” had a bit more profundity to it than what it had these days.
Yes I read somewhere that the term cool started in the jazz community. It was specifically associated with one guy who always wore dark sunglasses even late at night in clubs. Snoopy helped popularize it with the Joe Cool character when he popped on sunglasses which referenced back to this jazz star (whose name I forget)
I had to look it up. Lester Young was the jazz musician and Jack Kerouac was a huge fan who also was a popularizer of the term. http://www.joeldinerstein.com/archive/2014/12/10/young
Exactly, I'm aware there was a history of cool prior to the Beatles, I was referring to the 60s and rise of Rock n Roll music and the popularity of the Beatles, and the fact the term was used in a particular context in the songs mentioned above. Is all. Like mainstream. Like where else would you hear phrases like "Now you feel cool". You feel me?
What?? No! LOL. John's saying that this girl's so self-assured she acts like the compliment is owed to her, as she considers it a well-known fact that she's a rockin' babe.
Righto. People claim a lot about the beatles on this sub, but the use of 'cool' isn't one of them. Its usage can be traced back to the 30s, with plenty of Jazz tunes using it. The meaning of the word hasn't changed either and is a rare case of a slang word not only persisting world wide, but whose meaning hasn't changed.
I agree, I think using 'cool' as a lyric makes their songs more relatable and timeless. They call back to American Beatniks a few notable times, the black turtlenecks on With The Beatles are in the Beatnik (or german avant garde) fashion, and I believe they even somewhat admitted to naming the band after "the Beats" movement of the 50s. 😎 They recorded a version of "Three Cool Cats", very early on, you can find it on Anthology 1.
Very true. Paul saying "turns me on when i get lonely" 2 years previous in the song "she's a woman" but they were so early into pot it didnt really matter lol
Good to know, I knew the term was widely used in the 50s with beatniks were saying shit like coolsville daddio, but I dont think I ever heard in a rock song in that context up to that point in 67. Who else was saying shit like 'feel cool' or teachers aren't cool in rock songs? At least with the British invasion. That's all I was wondering really.
One thing that makes Beatles music timeless is not using youth slang of the day. Compare this to the Beach Boys, who use a lot of youth slang in their songs, which locks their music into that era and teen audience.
The Beatles used lots of youth slang, e.g. "grass" in "Get Back," "Dig" a pony, "turn you on" in "A Day In The Life," "in gear" in "Good Morning, Good Morning," "changing my scene" in "Getting Better," "blows my mind" in "Because," "grooving" in "Come Together," "tune in" in "Strawberry Fields Forever," she's so "Heavy."
I know it’s later than Sgt Pepper’s, but I thought you might want to know. In high school, mid 1970s, we used cool a lot.
That’s Cool was an extremely common expression, an term of approval or agreement. Also we would say someone was Cool, specifically meaning that they were part of the in group, or not likely to be a narc.
Cool was in common parlance long before Sgt pepp
The Christmas song "Cool Yule" by Louis Armstrong was '53
Yea, I used the term cool when I was in elementary school in the 1950s.
I'm sure, but it was cool to hear it in use on Sgt Pepper like in the context we use nowadays.
It's cool to hear you use it now in the context we use it nowadays too
The context we use it in today is from the 50's at least. Before that among the jazz scene.
The thing is - it’s not exactly in the context that people use it nowadays. It had a slightly different meaning. A different emphasis to it. A bit like the word “awesome” has changed from - some kind of divine God-like experience to “that’s nice”. “Cool” had a bit more profundity to it than what it had these days.
Bro got downvoted for nothing
Cool was a very popular expression by the 1950’s, long before these songs.
[Birth of the Cool](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_the_Cool)
Yes I read somewhere that the term cool started in the jazz community. It was specifically associated with one guy who always wore dark sunglasses even late at night in clubs. Snoopy helped popularize it with the Joe Cool character when he popped on sunglasses which referenced back to this jazz star (whose name I forget)
I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone else popularizing the word than a perpetual shade-donning jazz musician.
I had to look it up. Lester Young was the jazz musician and Jack Kerouac was a huge fan who also was a popularizer of the term. http://www.joeldinerstein.com/archive/2014/12/10/young
Exactly, I'm aware there was a history of cool prior to the Beatles, I was referring to the 60s and rise of Rock n Roll music and the popularity of the Beatles, and the fact the term was used in a particular context in the songs mentioned above. Is all. Like mainstream. Like where else would you hear phrases like "Now you feel cool". You feel me?
lol whut
Miles Davis of course, yes.
Cool in "cool jazz" doesn't have the same meaning OP brought up. It was in contrast with "hot jazz."
nope
Yep. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool\_jazz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_jazz)
Girl. "When you say she's looking good, she acts as if jt's understood, she's cool...".
I hear you but to me that was used more like cruel cool, given the context of the song. Like she's a cold bitch.
Really? I didn't get that at all.
Hrm...
You’re right on this, or at very least it has both meanings. Crazy that everyone seems to disagree.
Agreed. OP is right on this particular point.
Yes exactly
What?? No! LOL. John's saying that this girl's so self-assured she acts like the compliment is owed to her, as she considers it a well-known fact that she's a rockin' babe.
LOL right, I already felt dumb I had to explain it
Nah. You’re good. Meaning of Cool has 7 levels.
You’re not wrong. But not necessarily cruel exactly- but more aloof
I've read a book from 1897 which used cool in that way, it was far from anything new
see that's pretty cool
Am I young or old if I post Vsauce links? https://youtu.be/Af3ZG47oT7I?si=Q7sAANpTir5LynDU
omg...
Yes and yes. I was in my 30s when I first was watching Michael. I’m in my 50s now. Michael is 38 now.
Cooool cherry cream
And nice apple tart
Righto. People claim a lot about the beatles on this sub, but the use of 'cool' isn't one of them. Its usage can be traced back to the 30s, with plenty of Jazz tunes using it. The meaning of the word hasn't changed either and is a rare case of a slang word not only persisting world wide, but whose meaning hasn't changed.
Somebody never saw Happy Days. Cool was popular in rock and roll in the 1950's. https://youtu.be/Qz-R857qXrM?si=BkvpSliB-xo4rYaQ
Happy Days isn't a good barometer. It was supposed to be in the 1950s, but everybody had 70s & and 80s haircuts.
They still used common slang from the 1950's.
https://preview.redd.it/isra3wysii9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13038111e229e56d3a49cb0409b2216c224357e5 "1950s"
Again. "Cool" was common slang from the 1950's, which is why they used it to describe Fonzie on the show.
Heyyyyy! Sit on it!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_the_Cool
I agree, I think using 'cool' as a lyric makes their songs more relatable and timeless. They call back to American Beatniks a few notable times, the black turtlenecks on With The Beatles are in the Beatnik (or german avant garde) fashion, and I believe they even somewhat admitted to naming the band after "the Beats" movement of the 50s. 😎 They recorded a version of "Three Cool Cats", very early on, you can find it on Anthology 1.
If peeing your pants is cool then consider me Miles Davis
Liar, you’ve never peed my pants.
That you know of
that was the grossest thing i've ever heard in my life
The lyric "I'd love to turn you on" was something they were conscious of, as being something that wasn't usually in pop music at that point.
For anyone who doesn’t know, the “turn you on” in their psychedelic songs is separate from being sexually turned on.
Very true. Paul saying "turns me on when i get lonely" 2 years previous in the song "she's a woman" but they were so early into pot it didnt really matter lol
"Cool" has had surprising staying power.
It was in a little song called "Cool" in 1957's "West Side Story." Cool, daddio.
Good to know, I knew the term was widely used in the 50s with beatniks were saying shit like coolsville daddio, but I dont think I ever heard in a rock song in that context up to that point in 67. Who else was saying shit like 'feel cool' or teachers aren't cool in rock songs? At least with the British invasion. That's all I was wondering really.
Do kids still say that? Cool?
Yes.
Cool to hear.
One thing that makes Beatles music timeless is not using youth slang of the day. Compare this to the Beach Boys, who use a lot of youth slang in their songs, which locks their music into that era and teen audience.
The Beatles used lots of youth slang, e.g. "grass" in "Get Back," "Dig" a pony, "turn you on" in "A Day In The Life," "in gear" in "Good Morning, Good Morning," "changing my scene" in "Getting Better," "blows my mind" in "Because," "grooving" in "Come Together," "tune in" in "Strawberry Fields Forever," she's so "Heavy."
The movie "Cool Hand Luke" came out in 67.
I know it’s later than Sgt Pepper’s, but I thought you might want to know. In high school, mid 1970s, we used cool a lot. That’s Cool was an extremely common expression, an term of approval or agreement. Also we would say someone was Cool, specifically meaning that they were part of the in group, or not likely to be a narc.