# Last Kiss- Explain this song's popularity to me. Please! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664 "2004-01-29T23:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/1 "2004-01-29T23:58:58Z")
Last Kiss is that disturbing song about the teenage boy and his girlfriend who are driving down the road until they slam into another car and she _poof_ dies. So the guy has to wail about how he’s going to have to be good so he can get into heaven and blah blah etc. lyrics and history here: [http://www.tsimon.com/lastkiss.htm](http://www.tsimon.com/lastkiss.htm) I’ve got why he wrote it. No problem there. But why in God’s name did it go to #2 in the charts, and why does it still show up on oldies radio station playlists. Pearl Jam even covered it. Somehow I’m missing something. Please someone tell me I’m totally missing something. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/2 "2004-01-30T03:10:12Z")
Because people liked the song? Taste is a very strange thing. One man’s trash is another mans treasure. Fwiw…I like the song. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/3 "2004-01-30T03:17:22Z")
For some bizarre reason, teen disaster songs were big in the 50’s & 60’s. “Tell Laura I Love Her”, “Teen Angel”, & “Leader of the Pack” were big as well and had death as the main theme. There were a few minor hits in the 70’s - “Back Street” by R. Dean Taylor, “Run, Joey, Run” by David Geddes, and “Rocky” by Austin Roberts. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/4 "2004-01-30T03:18:02Z")
There seems to have been a spate of teen death songs in the 60s. _Last Kiss, Tell Laura I Love Her, Leader of the Pack, Teen Angel, Ode to Billy Joe, Running Bear (admittedly a novelty song more than a straight hit), Dead Man’s Curve_…it’s a weird phenomenon… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/5 "2004-01-30T03:21:00Z")
Dammit…my post collision detector must be out again… ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/6 "2004-01-30T03:21:33Z")
In the case of Pearl Jam’s cover (which I detest), I suspect that the song’s popularity stems from the fact that many people would pay good money to hear Eddie Vedder warble in the shower, or recite “Mary Had a Little Lamb”. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/7 "2004-01-30T03:26:13Z")
“Last Kiss” was one of a series of nauseating “teen death” songs like “Teen Angel”, “Patches”, and “Tell Laura, I Love Her” that came out in the late 50’s and early 60’s. As for why these maudlin lumps of glop were popular, I can’t say. (I also can’t account for why Pearl Jam chose to cover “Last Kiss” although a little bit of me hopes they did it with tongue-slightly-in-cheek.) I do know that songs of this type were successful enough to spawn a parody called “I Want My Baby Back” which took the tear-jerking excesses of “Last Kiss” and “Teen Angel” to their logical conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/8 "2004-01-30T03:28:30Z")
Amazing. I just heard that song this morning while wandering through Kmart, and I was thinking about the sweet innocence of even death and destruction songs like this as compared to the truly horrible, nasty rap my son was listening to a few minutes before. Songs like these have a catchy melody…I know it was stuck in my head for a few hours…and lyrics that profess true love that lasts beyond death. Everyone wants to believe that somone will love them forever, and everyone wants people to suffer for causing a tragedy. Maybe you’ll think twice the next time you go out driving and be more careful. The best songs are always about love and loss. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/9 "2004-01-30T03:31:47Z")
Nitpick: “Patches” is from the late 60s, and the dead’un in it is actually the singer’s father, not a teen. If we’re talking classic teen death songs, there’s always “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/10 "2004-01-30T03:33:27Z")
> [@Jervoise](#): > > … or recite “Mary Had a Little Lamb”. Well, THAT worked for Paul McCartney. It was on his _Wild Life_ album in 1971 and went to #9 in England. ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/11 "2004-01-30T03:54:58Z")
> [@Wumpus](#): > > If we’re talking classic teen death songs, there’s always “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” 🙂 I disagree. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” lacks the amount of cowbell necessary to reach “classic” status… ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/12 "2004-01-30T05:16:09Z")
I’m pretty sure that in a past thread I read about Pearl Jam’s cover of _Last Kiss_. I did a quick search, and saw some threads that would be candidates, but didn’t have any desire to dig through the posts. Anyway, from what I remember, Pearl Jam covered it at a concert for some fans, kind of joking around, a radio station got its mitts on a copy, started playing it, diggy-doo … it got popular and Pearl Jam released it as a single or on a CD (can’t remember). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/13 "2004-01-30T05:45:33Z")
> [@Dignan](#): > > I’m pretty sure that in a past thread I read about Pearl Jam’s cover of _Last Kiss_. I did a quick search, and saw some threads that would be candidates, but didn’t have any desire to dig through the posts. Anyway, from what I remember, Pearl Jam covered it at a concert for some fans, kind of joking around, a radio station got its mitts on a copy, started playing it, diggy-doo … it got popular and Pearl Jam released it as a single or on a CD (can’t remember). Actually, I think it was a special Christmas gift limited recording for their fan club. The rest is correct, I believe… ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/14 "2004-01-30T06:31:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Nitpick: “Patches” is from the late 60s, and the dead’un in it is actually the singer’s father, not a teen. Wumpus, the “Patches” you’re referring to is the one by Clarence Carter. The one I mentioned is a completely different song by Dickey Lee. By the way, [this album](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311112149180525&sql=Ags820roai48x) is a must for anyone who can’t get enough of songs from this sub-genre. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/15 "2004-01-30T07:15:20Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > I disagree. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” lacks the amount of cowbell necessary to reach “classic” status… You know, I’ve got a fever and the only cure is more cowbell. ---
**Author:** ![Extraneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Extraneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Extraneous)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/16 "2004-01-30T07:43:07Z")
Oh Goodie! Another “bad music” thread! (I _live_ for these!) 😉 How about: Running Bear Endless Sleep Tell Laura I Love Her Rocky Run Joey Run Indiana Wants Me I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You Patches Last Kiss Black Denim Trousers Leader Of The Pack Laurie (Strange Things Happen) Ebony Eyes Moody River The Ballad Of Thunder Road Tell Laura I Love Her Teen Angel Goodbye Baby I Want My Baby Back Leader Of The Laundromat There Is Something On Your Mind Dead Man’s Curve ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/17 "2004-01-30T13:49:59Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Dignan_ > Anyway, from what I remember, Pearl Jam covered it at a concert for some fans, kind of joking around, a radio station got its mitts on a copy, started playing it, diggy-doo … it got popular and Pearl Jam released it as a single or on a CD (can’t remember). As a single. Though, to defend Pearl Jam’s honour, it was a charity single. It wasn’t like they covered a lame '60s teen pop song to get rich. I’m a Pearl Jam fan, and I think I’m the only one who doesn’t mind this song. But, then, I like modern covers of songs from that period. The lyrics are all so cute and innocent. ---
**Author:** ![Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Live_Better_Electrically)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/18 "2004-01-30T14:27:52Z")
I thought the teenage tragedy craze was fun. A lot of the songs were ironic–the scenarios got more and more bizarre as time went on, but they had an emotional impact as well. I know people who used to cry when they heard “Teen Angel.” You could enjoy them on many different levels. There is a long folk tradition of maudlin story songs and death ballads, and I see the teen tragedy songs as a modern manifestation of that. Remember, the teen tragedy fad coincided with the commercial folk boom. During the same period there were a number of popular adult-oriented story songs that culminated in death, like the Kingston Trio’s “Tom Dooley” and Jimmy Dean’s “Big Bad John.” ---
**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:** [January 30, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/19 "2004-01-30T16:18:24Z")
BTW, “Teen Angel” was written to parody the death rock crazy (if sung properly, it will have everyone ROFL\*). A record producer heard the parody, bought it, then recorded it straight. \*The key is in the last verse. Drag out the first few lines dramatically, and pause for a moment, then sing “They buried you today” in an uptempo. Works every time. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664/20 "2004-01-30T17:19:50Z")
> [@Wumpus](#): > > Nitpick: “Patches” is from the late 60s, and the dead’un in it is actually the singer’s father, not a teen. > > If we’re talking classic teen death songs, there’s always “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” 🙂 There are two “Patches”. The one that Dave Barry listed in his Bad Songs book is by someone named Dickey Lee and in that one a teen dies, I believe. The Patches where the Dad dies is by Clarence Carter and is the one I’m familiar with. Terrible, terrible song. Kinda reminds me of the old man joke-- “When I was your age, we had to walk to school barefoot in 5 feet of snow uphill. . .” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-kiss-explain-this-songs-popularity-to-me-please/226664.md?page=2)