Mickey Starling
reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com
In our continuing pursuit of trivial knowledge pertaining to rarely used words or phrases, this week’s offerings originate in the mid 20th century and are of Anglo-American origin. The first offering, “just peachy,” is a purely American phrase, though probably a spin-off of the 16th century use of “peach,” meaning something is good or excellent. Having grown up in Madison County during the days when peach farms abounded, I am fully acquainted with how this word came to be understood. I spent many hours playing amidst the numerous rows of peach trees located near my uncle’s farm. The aromatic smell of ripe peaches still ripples in my memory of sweet days gone by. I always felt it my duty to provide a bit of quality control in those times, occasionally, or perhaps regularly, picking and tasting those sublime fruits. So, it is no surprise to me that “just peachy” refers to something that is good, sweet or desirable. In 1948, the word kept its essential meaning but took on the word “keen,” thanks to Jim Hawthorne, a DJ in Pasadena, Calif. who got bored during one of his broadcasts. Without notifying his employers, he turned the program into a bizarre mixture of jokes, antics, catchy phrases and subjects as well as music, sometimes filled with humorous commentary. Before he could be fired the next day, the station was bombarded with support from young listeners who loved the format. Instead of firing Hawthorne, his salary went from $85 a week to $450. On the broadcasts, he often referred to pleasant things as being “peachy keen,” so the phrase became an overnight hit. He was certainly peachy keen with all of those developments. Our next forgotten phrase, “Gee, Willikers” became prominent in the U.S. in the 1950s, it had been used much sooner in England, where it was considered a way to express excitement, surprise or astonishment. It was common for the British folks to exclaim “Jesus!” when struck with wonder. Feeling guilty about the misuse of the Savior’s name, “gee,” their shortened version of “Jesus” was employed. It is believed that “willakers,” which has so many spellings you can’t possibly get it wrong, is an entirely made-up word used to further soften the referral to Jesus for no apparent reason. Another adjustment to “Gee, Willikers” came about in the 1950s, with the TV sit-com, “Leave it to Beaver.” Beaver often said “Gee Willakers, Wally!” to his brother, appropriately named “Wally.” The show drew a large audience, and there are a few of us old timers who still use this version of the phrase. Most people today prefer a word like “yikes.” However, the Gen Z crowd would possibly go with “shook.” My resident Gen Z co-worker, Leah, informs me that “Gee, Willikers” is far more convenient when wishing to express surprise or astonishment with just one word. Apparently, “shook” needs additional words to provide proper expression, as in “I was so shook with the announcement. Gee, Willikers, I think I’ll stick with the words I grew up with. They are just peachy with me.