# Best teen angst songs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690 "2017-10-01T00:36:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/1 "2017-10-01T00:36:55Z")
Let’s go ahead and get the two most obvious ones out of the way: Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” Beastie Boys: “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party” ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/2 "2017-10-01T00:40:06Z")
Anything by Morrisey or The Cure ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/3 "2017-10-01T00:43:52Z")
Revolution ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/4 "2017-10-01T01:05:42Z")
It was a treat seeing the drummer sing this [one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxREQ_0RifY), sitting on the edge of the stage, the mic cord trailing up through his shorts, at a Vancouver gig in '93. Guitarist is possibly a little flat.🙂 Huh - this sorta almost qualifies for the covers thread too. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/5 "2017-10-01T01:26:10Z")
That damned edit window: What the hell is it with drummers and teen angst?! Here Terry Bozzio takes over vocal chores in Frank Zappa’s [“Trying To Grow A Chin”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ffaymi4NIE) [Small treatise](http://www.allmusic.com/song/trying-to-grow-a-chin-mt0000071048) from allmusic. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/6 "2017-10-01T01:36:30Z")
Billy Joel’s “Angry Young Man” is one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/7 "2017-10-01T04:47:21Z")
This may be a stretch, but maybe ["Teen Angst"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42V8CqWw0xM)by Cracker? Also: “[Teenage Dirtbag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC3y9llDXuM)” by Wheatus “Longview” by Green Day “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by the Offspring And that’s just the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/8 "2017-10-01T04:53:46Z")
“At Seventeen” by Janis Ian. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/9 "2017-10-01T07:14:59Z")
[White Punks On Dope](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9wuaVV33I) by the Tubes Nazareth’s [Teenage Nervous Breakdown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-qtmmt93VA) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/10 "2017-10-01T07:40:59Z")
Many songs by [the Mountain Goats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mountain_Goats). Darnielle’s lyrics are often like cleverly observed short stories. [Dance Music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abvqNQ2QXuk): > [@](#): > > Okay so I’m seventeen years old > You’re the last best thing I got going > But then the special secret sickness > Starts to eat through you > What am I supposed to do? [You Were Cool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3n_RKEuRlw) > [@](#): > > It’s good to be young but let’s not kid ourselves > It’s better to pass on through those years and come out the other side > With our hearts still beating And much of his latest album [Goths](http://www.tune-jam.com/single-post/2017/05/22/Goths---By-The-Mountain-Goats). He obviously has a long and twisted memory. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/11 "2017-10-01T08:21:50Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Let’s go ahead and get the two most obvious ones out of the way: > > Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” > > Beastie Boys: “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party” Surely not more obvious than The Who’s [_My Generation_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN5zw04WxCc)? Or going further back, [_Why Must I Be a Teenager in Love?_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuXGWEsEOYQ) by Dion and the Belmonts? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/12 "2017-10-01T13:33:15Z")
It’s terribly inappropriate these days, bit there’s Elton John’s [I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37JhSlDQUxE) ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/13 "2017-10-01T13:39:25Z")
Alice Cooper’s [Eighteen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXZcJojTucg) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/14 "2017-10-01T13:39:48Z")
**Satisfaction** ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/15 "2017-10-01T13:46:49Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Many songs by [the Mountain Goats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mountain_Goats). Darnielle’s lyrics are often like cleverly observed short stories. Have you heard Andy Hull (of Manchester Orchestra fame)'s [cover of Death Metal Band out of Denton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8TzE1y4_ZA)? It’s only pretty good until, at the climax, he sings so intensely he maxes out the mic. That’s pretty angsty imo. Combined with the content I’d give it my vote so far. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/16 "2017-10-01T14:11:47Z")
Radiohead - _Creep_ ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/17 "2017-10-01T14:13:13Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Let’s go ahead and get the two most obvious ones out of the way: > > Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” > > Beastie Boys: “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party” I disagree. These are songs about rebellion and resistance to social norms. “Angst” requires dread or anxiety. As mentioned previously, “At Seventeen” is an example of teen angst. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/18 "2017-10-01T14:19:13Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Alice Cooper’s [Eighteen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXZcJojTucg) Maybe also “[Lost In America](http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/146080/)” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/19 "2017-10-01T14:51:36Z")
[Flamin’ Groovies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14MkbmML4YY): _I’m a monster Got a revved up teenage head_ And their equally classic [“Shake Some Action”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIcmk8WA10A). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690/20 "2017-10-01T14:57:20Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Let’s go ahead and get the two most obvious ones out of the way: > > Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” > > Beastie Boys: “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party” To build on what **Zonexandscout** said: While I respect Dee Snider as a personality, that song is about juvenile anger, not teen angst. A kid mad at his/parents or teacher. Fight for Your Right was satire and a bid for commercial success. They thought they were goofing on the idiots. That’s why they fled to Paul’s Boutique for their next album. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-teen-angst-songs/797690.md?page=2)