Back in the day is an idiom used to refer to a time in the past, typically a period remembered with fondness or nostalgia.
While the phrase doesn’t point to a specific calendar date, it serves as a linguistic bridge to the “good old days.” It is frequently used to contrast the present with a past era, like the days of vinyl records or life before the internet, implying that the time being discussed was simpler, better, or at least significantly different.
Today, the phrase back in the days, is used differently than back in the day. When back in the days is used, it includes a specified period of time. Consider these two examples:
“Back in the day, we got all our music on vinyl records.”
“Back in the days of vinyl, I could get all the new 45 singles for 50 cents each!”
Although back in the day is usually used to express nostalgia about when the speaker was younger, and also to complain about the present, it can be used in a more practical sense to simply refer to a time in the past in which a particular thing was different.
It can also refer to a time in the distant past, even before the speaker was born, although the idiom ‘in the old days’ is more likely to be appropriate. And even a more poetic way of putting it is “days of yore,” which refers to a much more ancient or legendary time, but is often used in a tongue-in-cheek way to imply that one is very old.
Sentence Examples
“Back in the day, we didn’t spend all our time staring at phones. We actually talked to each other.”
“Saturday Night Live was much funnier back in the day. I don’t know why I keep watching it.”
Gas was less than a dollar a gallon back in the day, and you could fill your tank for twenty bucks.”
“We didn’t have GPS back in the day; we had to rely on paper maps and the kindness of strangers for directions.”
“He was a great actor back in the day. Nowadays, he just keeps playing the same character with the same ridiculous accent.”
“Did you really compete in the Olympics back in the day?”
“Back in the day, you could see a double feature at the cinema for less than five dollars.”
“We used to spend every summer at the lake back in the day, before the area became so overdeveloped.”
“He was a legendary shortstop back in the day, but now he’s content just coaching his grandson’s Little League team.”
“He was quite the heartthrob back in the day, with posters of his face on every teenager’s bedroom wall.”
Origin of “Back in the Day”
This idiom has its origins in the latter half of the 1900s, having gained popularity during the 1980s and 90s. It featured particularly in rap lyrics of the day.
Several rap songs from the 1980s (and early 90s, looking back at the 80s) utilize the phrase “back in the day” to evoke nostalgia for the early days of hip-hop culture. While it is not certain that the phrase was exclusive to black culture in those days, it cannot be disputed that rap music made the idiom a household phrase. You can read more about the cultural transition of the phrase from hip-hop slang to mainstream English at Grammarphobia. Below are some of the important rap songs that helped bring this idiom into general use.
- Beastie Boys – “Girls” (1986): This is often cited by lexicographers as one of the earliest recorded uses of the phrase in hip-hop. The opening line is: “Back in the day / There was this girl around the way.”
- Biz Markie – “Vapors” (1988): Contains the line, “We used to be down back in the days” (Note: “days” hadn’t changed to “day” yet.
- Ahmad – “Back in the Day” (1994): This is the definitive “nostalgia” anthem of the 90s. The chorus repeats the phrase constantly: “Back in the days when I was young / I’m not a kid anymore / But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again.” It’s a perfect example of the transition from “back in the days” to the singular “back in the day.”
- The Notorious B.I.G. – “Juicy” (1994): While he doesn’t use the phrase in the main hook, the entire song is the quintessential “back in the day” story, and he often referred to the “old school” era in this way during interviews and live sets.
- Skee-Lo – “I Wish” (1995): Another mid-90s track that leans heavily into the “back in the day” vibe, reflecting on childhood struggles and the culture of the late 80s.
Further Reading
- Unforgettable Nostalgia Trips from Rap Hits: A look at the specific tracks that defined the “back in the day” sentiment in 90s hip-hop.
- Top 10 Songs That Pay Homage To Hip Hop’s Early Days: An exploration of how artists like 2Pac and Ahmad used the phrase to honor the pioneers of the genre.
Idiom References
- “Back in the Day.” Grammarist, Grammarist, grammarist.com/usage/back-in-the-day/.
- Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
- “Back in the Day.” BACK IN THE DAY | Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/back-in-the-day.