Favorite songs that define(d) your teen years

These don't have to necessarily be from the specific era (ie., if you grew up in the 80s the songs don't have to be from that time). Of course all of the songs you talk about should have an eternal shelf life in your conciousness. Burned in there for good.

Where I grew up let's say 'lacked culture', didn't really have a whole lot of access to as much weird music as I wanted, so my personal list is a little on the tame side, but they're still great songs, and all unload a flood of memory on me when I hear them. I'll probably think of more later but right now a few of them are:

'10 Years Gone'-Led Zeppelin
'Even the Losers'-Tom Petty
'Here Comes My Girl'- Tom Petty
'The Break-Up Song'-Greg Kihn Band
'Money'-Flying Lizards
'Message in a Bottle'-The Police
'I Will Follow'-U2
'Let's Go'-The Cars
'It's Different for Girls'-Joe Jackson
Anything from the first Pretenders LP

*one little comment: it's actually funny to remember how strange 'Message In A Bottle' sounded when it first came out. That was really unchartered musical territory. Totally unfamiliar to my ears. For a minute The Police were actually a bonified, under the radar Punk/New Wave band. Hearing that song now, you would never have imagined.

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2005-06-25 23:02 ]

I think for me, it's The Cure's Love Cats (I cant stand them now), Bela Lugosi's Dead (Bauhaus) and The Clash - London Calling. Madness 'One Step Beyond', ahh I could go on....

I was a teenager in the late '60's (class of 1969) back in the days when vinyl LP's ruled the planet and LP cover art and the rock concert poster was elevated to the level of fine art. What a great time to be a teenager! A few of my favorites include (but not limited to):

I Can See For Miles - the Who

Pushin' Too Hard - the Seeds

Don't Bring Me Down - the Animals

Train Kept A Rollin' - the Yardbirds

Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan

Itchykoo Park - the Small Faces

Summertime Blues - Blue Cheer

Woodchopper's Ball - Ten Years After

Eight Miles High - the Byrds

The Planets - Gustav Holtz
My Romance - Ella Fitzgerald (Anything by her)
Ghosts of Cape Horn - Gordon Lightfoot
Roll with the Changes - REO Speedwagon
You put this love in my heart - Keith Green
Dreidel - Don Mclean
Hocus Pocus - Focus
Appalachian Spring - Aaron Copeland

I was a weirdo.
Well - not "was."

I used to cash my paycheck at the record store.
Really.

Light my Fire - The Doors
Black Magic Woman -Santana
Bang A Gong - T. Rex
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
Baby's on Fire - Eno
Piece of My Heart - Janis Joplin
Frankenstein - Edgar Winter
All the Young Dudes -Mott the Hoople
Dream On - Aerosmith
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
Norwegian Wood -Beatles
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
Magic Bus- The Who
Uncle Albert - Paul McCartney

also on regular rotation were...
Led Zeppelin -Disc 4
Uriah Heep - Demons and Wizards Album

Shipwreckjoey-

Man do I envy you. Although I have to say that in retrospect, Gen X (me) and the Babyboomers had similar experiences growing up ie., LPs and the radio ruled. Mom, dad and definitely the grandparents had little or no clue about what your youth culture was about, and rock musicians were (and still are for that matter) your heroes. Of course people in the 60s got the treasure trove. But am I wrong in saying that Gen X was perhaps the last generation to have an active youth subculture with Rock and Roll as a sort of a 'secret society'? Do the current crop of teens have that stuff? I don't think so.

Pablus..you just reminded me: REO Speedwagon. I don't care how bad anybody thinks they were. If you were a teen in the 80s, they were everywhere, and "Keep On Loving You'" was a major teen heartbreak anthem. The runner up to that one "Take It On the Run" was equally as huge. Hate to admit, but I like those songs. And dare I say it, Gary Richrath is an underrated rock guitarist.

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2005-06-25 23:05 ]

Ahhh...the 80's, where to begin!!! Good times, good times!!! I was one of those black clothed, black eyeliner, new wavers with a tidal wave hair do....yikes!
These songs are my personal favorites of way too many to list! They bring back my teen year & earliest club memories:
The Smiths - How Soon is Now / What Difference Does it Make
The Normal - Warm Leatherette
Simple Minds - New Gold Dream
The Clash - Guns of Brixton
Adam & the Ants - Dog Eat Dog / Deutscher Girls
Eurythmics - Paint A Rumor
Joy Division - She's Lost Control
Depeche Mode - Shake the Disease
Devo - Mongoloid
Visage - Fade to Grey
Specials- Do the Dog
Damn, now I have to dust myself off and find an '80's Night' at at one of the local clubs. (but minus the 'do' and eyeliner)

[ Edited by: Pepe le Tiki on 2005-06-26 13:53 ]

Pepe le Tiki -
You reminded me of what I liked most about the late '70's & 80's music...a lot of bands were bypassing the corporate music system and releasing their music on independent labels like Bomp, Slash, Stiff, etc. and the 7" 45 RPM single made a resurgence in a big way not seen since the '50's. A few of my fave singles (some of which I still have):

the Normal- Warm Leatherette / T.V.O.D.
the Clash - Complete Control
Adam & the Ants - Whip in My Valise
Madness -Night Boat To Cairo
the Specials - Nite Klub
the Weirdos-Destroy All Music (we just can't use it)

So true Shipwreckjoey, I guess that's why so many of these songs have remained underground anthems.
Wow...I forgot about the Weirdos, the L.A. punk/underground scene was in it's prime! Wish I could have gone to the Whisky-A-Go-Go.
Hang on to those singles!!

[ Edited by: Pepe le Tiki on 2005-06-27 08:59 ]

GBH - Diplomatic Immunity
Black Flag - TV Party
Suicidal Tendencies - I Saw Your Mommy
The Meatmen - Toolin For Anus
Dead Kennedys - Forest Fire
The Misfits - Where Eagles Dare

Music during my teen years ranged from oldies on the radio (K-Earth 101) which I got into after seeing American Graffitti, to FM rock stations in San Diego (KGB mostly). In the 70s FM radio wasn't bad. They played albums in their entirety often. By the late 70s, when I graduated from high school, rock radio started to limit themselves to the most popular tunes (which led to Classic Rock). But by then I was bored of arena rock bands and I started liking bands like the Cars, Blondie, the Police, the B52s, the Ramones, the Talking Heads, and other bands like them that crossed over into rock radio.

Then my friend Ed (Christ on a crutch) exposed me to bands like the Jam, Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers, the early Go Gos, the Standbys, and many more. He took me to my first punk show - the Dickies and 999 at SDSU. I started listening to "The Modern World" by DJ Jim McGuiness on KGB, and Rodney Bingenheimer on KROQ in LA. Me and Ed went to the North Park Lions Club and saw Rik L Rik and some other bands. My whole world of music changed in 1979-80.

To answer your question, these songs had an impact on me far more than any songs by the mainstream rock bands of the 70s:

My Best Friend's Girl - the Cars
Rock Lobster - B52s
Life During Wartime - Talking Heads
Message in a Bottle - the Police
Cruel to be Kind - Nick Lowe
Nobody's Hero - Stiff Little Fingers
Wasted - Black Flag
We Got the Beat - the Go Go's - first 45 version
Teenage Kicks - Undertones
Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys
Kid - the Pretenders
Life Begins at the Hop - XTC
I'm Bored - Iggy Pop
Dancing with Myself - Generation X
5 x 4 EP - The Crawdaddys
In The Crowd - The Jam

"School's Out" Alice Cooper
"Sheena is a Punk Rocker" Ramones
"Personality Crisis" New York Dolls
"Rip Her To Shreds" Blondie
"Tearin' My Hair Out" Rockin' Rebels
"Los Angeles" X
"Miss You" Rolling Stones
"Slow Ride" Foghat
"Toys in the Attic" Aerosmith
"Wild Saxophone" Stray Cats
"Honky Tonk Man" Dwight Yoakam
"Smokin In the Boys Room" Brownsville Station
"Institutionalized" Suicidal Tendencies
"What Do I Get" the Buzzcocks
"Marie Marie" the Blasters

I actually pulled these off an old mix tape I made when I was 18! Still like most of them... :)

My teen years are defined in my mind as pre-Split Enz and post Split Enz. I completely fell apart when they broke up and found mindless comfort in Duran Duran. Thank God that Crowded House came along, and I remembered what lyrics were.

When I was 12:

XTC - Senses Working Overtime
The Go-Go's - Vacation
The Police - Message In A Bottle

When I was 13:

Split Enz - History Never Repeats
Split Enz - I Got You
Split Enz - Six Months In A Leaky Boat

When I was 15:

Duran Duran - The Reflex
Aha - Manhattan Skyline

When I was 16:

Crowded House - World Where You Live
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights

When I was 19:

Crowded House - I Feel Possessed
The Replacements - I'll Be You
Voice of the Beehive - I Say Nothing

This music had a profound effect on me. Still does. Most of it.

My favorite band is still Split Enz. I didn't quite stalk them in New Zealand, but I went to their home town.

I'm Not Like Everybody Else--- The Chocolate Watchband version

Bridges Burning--- The Prisoners

Rockin Hearse--- The Playn Jayn

Eloise--- The Damned

In The Crowd--- The Jam

Dreams of Children--- The Jam

Spanish Bombs--- The Clash

The entire first album by The Cars

Union City Blue--- Blondie

Jimmy Jimmy--- The Undertones

and hordes of others

My early teens...

A-Ha - Take On Me
Nena - 99 Red Balloons
The Pretenders - Back on the Chain Gang
Prince - When Doves Cry
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'
Peter Schilling - Major Tom
Dire Straits - Money For Nothing

My skateboarding/punk stage...

Agent Orange - Voices in the Night
D.I. - Hang 10 In East Berlin
Fear - I Love Livin' in the City
The Misfits - Who Killed Marilyn?
Descendents - Cheer
JFA - We Know You Suck
The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary

My post punk reggae stage...

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Ride Natty Ride
Don Carlos - Just a Passing Glance
Yellowman - Summer Holiday
Gregory Isaacs - Night Nurse
U-Roy - Music Addict
Tenor Saw - Pumpkin Belly
Half Pint - Greetings

• "Making Plans for Nigel" - XTC (Have I mentioned that XTC was the headliner of the first "Real" Rock concert I ever went to? I should bring that up again every few months to make people jealous again...)
• "What do I Get?" - The Buzzcocks
• "Blitzkrieg Bop" - The Ramones

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-06-29 11:02 ]

The year I turned 13 we moved from a small town in west Texas to 'the big city', Dallas/Fort Worth with stations all up and down the AM/FM dial. I was in hog heaven. Here's my favorites w/ an emotional connection: (some are LP's I owned)

Isley Brothers - Who's That Lady
Seals and Croft - Diamond Girl
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
American Band - Grand Funk Railroad
Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight
BeeGees - How Deep is Your Love
Chicago - Wishing You Were Here
Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic
Steely Dan - Aja
Supertramp - Even in the Quietest Moments
Dan Fogelberg - Netherlands
Billy Joel - 42nd Street

But the song that always takes me back....

Van Halen - Running with the Devil (and pretty much every other tune w/ Diamond Dave)

On 2005-06-29 11:01, freddiefreelance wrote:
[*]"What do I Get?" - The Buzzcocks

I forgot about the Buzzcocks. If one song defined my teen years it was "Orgasm Addict"!

My inspiration during the teen years, it was hard to narrow them down! I was kinda all over the board with music.
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
Beach Boys - Disney Girls
James Taylor - You've got a friend
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, - Our house
Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense And Peppermint
Santana - Black Magic Woman
Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Mama's and the Papa's - California dreaming
Handel's - Messiah
Robet Frost - Frostiana
Ventures - Ventures in Space
Ricky Nelson - Calendar Girl
Paul McCarthy - Band on the run
Elton John - Harmony
Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman

There so many albums / songs that define my teen years. But if we were playing the desert island game, it would be

"Institutionalized" Suicidal Tendencies

"All I wanted was a Pepsi!" So true

LOTS of memories here!!

"Chariot Choogle" by T. Rex (they opened their shows with it, post-"Slider")"All The Young Dudes" by Mott The Hoople

"Suffragette City" by David Bowie

"Thirty Days in the Hole" by Humble Pie

"Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zep

"All Right Now" by Free

"Bad Scene" by Ten Years After

"Queen Bitch" by Bowie

"Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull

The entire "Killer" album by Alice Cooper

"Sweetleaf" by Black Sabbath

"My Generation" and "Magic Bus" by The Who

"White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane

"Oye, como va?" by Santana

"Casey Jones" by The Greatful Dead

"Embryonic Journey" by Jefferson Airplance (acoustic guitar solo by Jorma Kaukonen)

"Lucky Man" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer

"Sweet Jane" by Lou Reed

"I Just Wanna Make Love To You" by Foghat

"Statesboro Blues" by The Allman Brothers Band

"The Width of a Circle" by David Bowie

Gee I guess I'm gonna have to go with the following:

Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
Muskrat Love - The Captain and Tennille
Garbage Dump - Charles Manson
Maggot Death - Throbbing Gristle

Hakalugi - I've been told that Brian Wilson's refusal to record Manson's "Garbage Dump" with the Beach Boys is what set him off on his homicidal gorefest. I wonder what Manson listens to today? My guess is Charlie's watchin' American Idol and tyin' up the cell block phone lines voting for his favorites.