Weebles Wobble But They Don’t…
The History of Gen X’s Theme Song
Music has helped shape youth throughout history. Hymnals taught children values. Shanties gave young sailors direction. Generation X is no different. We were raised on jingles.
Don’t believe me?
Try this on:
“Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.”
This was the first sentence for many of us born between 1970 and 1976.
J. Mitchell Reed penned this sentence in his Madison Avenue office where he worked as an advertising executive in 1970. The sentence was intended to provide a new product of his client, Hasbro, a sound bite. A tune to turn children into consumers. He used a little alliteration and some assonance and walla…
Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.
His bosses liked this, and so did Hasbro. They used this line in the commercials they unleashed in July 1971 to sell Weebles- egg-shaped objects covered in a sticker to make them look like people. There was a Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister, and even a dog.
They fit in a hand and if someone tried to knock them over, they oscillated instead. A perfect toy for kids raised watching Watergate.
