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Feelin' groovy!

Posted by Masakim on December 10, 2003

In Reply to: Feelin' groovy! posted by ESC on December 10, 2003

: : : : Who first said this? I'm assuming that it stems from records (as in the grooves thereof). And I'm assuming it also stems from saying 'in the groove'. But I could be assuming entirely incorrectly.

: : : : Does anyone know?

: : : Simon and Garfunkel released The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) in 1966, so it must have been popular then.

: : One entry found for groovy.
: :

: : Main Entry: groovy
: : Pronunciation: 'grü-vE
: : Function: adjective
: : Inflected Form(s): groov·i·er; -est
: : Date: circa 1937
: : 1 : MARVELOUS, WONDERFUL, EXCELLENT
: : 2 : HIP

: From 20th Century Words: The Story of New Words in English Over the Last 100 Years by John Ayto (Oxford University Press, New York, 1999:

: groovy adj. In the groove performing well.

groovy adj. 1 In a state of mind or mood conductive to playing music, esp. swing music, well; in rapport with the piece, esp. of swing music, being played. Orig. c1935 swing use, by musicians and devotees. Some resuurrected cool and far out use since c1955. From "in the groove." ...

groove, in the 1 Playing swing music intensely, with excitement, adroitly, in such a gratifying way as to elicit a strong response from the listeners; in rapport with or enraptured by the swing music being played. Common swing use late 1930's and early 1940's. When a phonograph plays, its stylus or needle is in the groove of the record. Archaic. ...

From _Dictionary of American Slang_ by Harold Wentworth & Stuart Berg Flexner

"Word History: Groovy" is fully explained in pp.55-57 of __Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang_ by Tom Dalzell

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