“In My Merry Oldsmobile” is a popular song from 1905, with music by Gus Edwards and lyrics by Vincent P. Bryan.

Verse 1
Young Johnny Steele has an Oldsmobile
He loves his dear little girl
She is the queen of his gas machine
She has his heart in a whirl
Now when they go for a spin, you know,
She tries to learn the auto, so
He lets her steer, while he gets her ear
And whispers soft and low…
Verse 2
They love to spark in the dark old park
As they go flying along
She says she knows why the motor goes
The sparker is awfully strong
Each day they spoon to the engine’s tune
Their honeymoon will happen soon
He’ll win Lucille with his Oldsmobile
And then he’ll fondly croon…
Chorus
Come away with me, Lucille
In my merry Oldsmobile
Down the road of life we’ll fly
Automobubbling, you and I
To the church we’ll swiftly steal
Then our wedding bells will peal
You can go as far as you like with me
In my merry Oldsmobile.

Automobubbling? Will my students know what it means to spoon or spark? Do you think they can tell from the context?

Also in 1905, Henri Matisse and a group of artists now known as “les Fauves” (the wild beasts) exhibited together in a room at the Salon d’Automne. The paintings expressed emotion with wild colors and a disregard for realism. This painting by Matisse is called “Woman in a Kimono”, and it displays the style of les Fauves.

For more information about the culture and times of one particular place, Boston, in 1905, take a look at this blog: Dateline: Boston, 1905.