MetaChat - Songs of teen tragedy.

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28 January 2013

Songs of teen tragedy. Brief, strange, music fad.→[More:]So I went to see Bowzer *swoon* and his Doo-Ops last week at Mohegan Sun. * And now I'm on a doo-op/Sha Na Na binge, enjoying among other things songs such as "Tell Laura I Love Her" and "Teen Angel", from the Teenage Tragedy Song genre, a brief trend from the late 50s/early 60s.

One sort of wonders how this trend came to be. "Yes, folks, that's what top-40 listeners want to hear right now, songs where 16-year-olds DIE!" I guess if I was alive then, I may have understood it better...

* It was a singles' event advertised as "40+". There wasn't a single person there under 55 besides me. I should have realized this given the concert offering; how come I like things that no one my age likes?! grump

post by: Melismata at: 15:35 | 8 comments

That sounds like a fun concert to me and I'm younger than 40 (despite my father's insinuations otherwise -- I have 2 years before I can be considered closer to 40 than 30 ;).

"Last Kiss" is what always comes to mind in that genre. And I've always disliked it. And I came to hate it thanks to Pearl Jam. Zillions of oldies and they had to cover that one.

posted by bluesapphires 28 January | 16:42

Here's the link showing the details of the concert. :) Scroll down a bit and it lists all the bands who performed that day.

Confession: I based my decision to go entirely on the fact that Johnny Contardo was there. I would sleep with him any time, day or night.

posted by Melismata 28 January | 16:59

I used to like these songs, I don't know what the appeal was per se but it coincided with my interest in vampires so maybe something about tragedy and eternal love?

I'd also add "Ode to Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry (1967) to that list, though it's a little more vague/sinister

posted by rmless2 28 January | 17:51

There was a tragedy song by a UK singer (although I use that term loosely) - Terry by Twinkle, from 1964.

posted by Senyar 28 January | 17:55

Ooooh, I love that Twinkle song! Unfaithfulness AND suicide! It's got it ALL.

Here's another: We Don't Belong, by Sylvan.

posted by JanetLand 28 January | 19:37

I got this from my local library and ripped it. Lotsa good angst.

posted by danf 28 January | 20:08

Oh, this is a good one too -- girl fight turns tragic! Nightmare, by The Whyte Boots.

posted by JanetLand 28 January | 21:07

Here's my favorite song of the genre (and the only one to be regularly played on the Dr. Demento Show).

posted by oneswellfoop 29 January | 02:15

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