Robin Williams? Charlie Fleischer? Paul Krassner? Paul Kantner? Grace Slick?
Question for Quote Investigator: I lived through the 1960s, but the only thing I remember about it is the following quotation:
If you can remember the 1960s, you weren’t really there.
Does anyone recall who said this?
Reply from Quote Investigator: Yes, many people think they remember who said this. The problem is they disagree: Paul Kantner, Robin Williams, Paul Krassner, Pete Townshend, Grace Slick, Timothy Leary, and many others have been credited with the saying. Of course, no one who was there really remembers.
The earliest citation currently known by QI for this expression was found by the outstanding researcher Stephen Goranson.
The cite is a two-line article in the Comedy column of the Los Angeles Times in 1982:1
EXIT LINE: Comedian Charlie Fleischer observes: “If you remember the ’60s, you really weren’t there.”
Apparently it took all of the 1970s to recover from the 1960s and create the quip. Until further citations are located, Charles Fleischer gets the credit.
Update History: On March 13, 2025 the format of the bibliographical notes was updated.
- 1982 June 13, Los Angeles Times, The Comedy Column: Shandling Takes the Low-Key Road by Lawrence Christon, Page M60, Los Angeles, California. (ProQuest) ↩︎