# Songs about the halcyon days of youth **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318 "2005-10-21T19:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/1 "2005-10-21T19:25:39Z")
I’m trying to come up with a good list of songs about those oh-so-wonderful teen years. Back when I was making love in the green grass behind the stadium with you, trying to lose those awkward teenage blues, finding paradise by the dashboard light, etc etc etc. Help me out, dopers! ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/2 "2005-10-21T19:33:50Z")
[It was a very good year.](http://home.att.net/~e.zeiser/lyrics/good_year.htm) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/3 "2005-10-21T19:45:28Z")
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins Summer of 69’ - Bryan Adams Seventeen - Winger Schools Out - Alice Cooper ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/4 "2005-10-21T19:53:24Z")
Ymca ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/5 "2005-10-21T19:54:49Z")
_Thunder Road_ - Bruce Springsteen _Spirit in the Night_ - Bruce Springsteen _Jack and Diane_ - John Cougar (Mellencamp) _Fight For Your Right (To Party)_- Beaste Boys ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/6 "2005-10-21T19:56:25Z")
At Seventeen - Janis Ian ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/7 "2005-10-21T20:39:52Z")
First Episode at Highenton–Elton John One of my favorite songs The songs still are sung It was fun to be young But please, don’t be sad wherever you are. I am who I am. You are who you are ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/8 "2005-10-21T21:50:11Z")
“In The Summertime,” Mungo Jerry “See You In September,” by The Happenings (may be a stretch, but sure fits your mood) “California Girls,” by The Beach Boys “Sidewalk Surfing,” by The Challengers “Surfing Safari,” by The Beach Boys I’ll try to think of more later, that captured that time… ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/9 "2005-10-21T21:51:58Z")
:o Guess I’m telling my age here, oh well. :o ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/10 "2005-10-21T21:55:24Z")
Billy Joel’s [_Scenes From an Italian Restaurant_](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Scenes-from-an-Italian-Restaurant-lyrics-Billy-Joel/334977EE00FC918548256870001B541F) contrasts “how it is now” with “how it was then”: [Quote] Do you remember those days hanging out at the village green? Engineer boots, leather jackets and tight blue jeans Oh, you drop a dime in the box play the song about New Orleans Cold beer, hot lights, my sweet romantic teenage nights{/Quote] ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/11 "2005-10-21T23:50:48Z")
‘Those Were The Days, My Friend’ Mary Hopkins Those were the days, my friend We thought they’d never end We’d sing and dance forever and a day ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/12 "2005-10-22T00:05:19Z")
**John “Cougar” Mellencamp** ’s song [“Cherry Bomb”](http://www.ilyric.net/Lyrics/J/John-Mellencamp/Cherry-Bomb.html): \*That’s when a smoke was a smoke And groovin’ was groovin’ … \* Or **Bruce Springsteen** ’s song [“Growin’ Up”](http://www.ilyric.net/Lyrics/b/Bruce-Springsteen/Growin'-Up.html): _I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd When they said “sit down”, I stood up! Oooh - Growin’ up_ **Don Henley** ’s song, [The End of the Innocence](http://www.ilyric.net/Lyrics/D/Don-Henley/The-End-Of-The-Innocence.html) _Remember when the days were long And rolled beneath a deep blue sky Didn’t have a care in the world With mommy and daddy standing by_ ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/13 "2005-10-22T00:37:20Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > At Seventeen - Janis Ian As much as I love that song, it’s more a song about the grim, grey, awkward reality of teenage-dom, and of losing your childish dreams. It’s not exactly a fondly nostalgic look backward. Another bleak, “look back in anguish”-type song would be “the Boys of Summer” by Don Henley. Not to mention “Footprints in the Frost” by Squeeze. Anyway, for more cheerier songs - “Summer Days” Chad & Jeremy “Oh, What a Night” by…I don’t think I ever knew who recorded this song. “Summertime” originally written by Gershwin, covered by multitudes including Janis Joplin. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/14 "2005-10-22T00:40:02Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > “Summer Days” Chad & Jeremy Corn nuts! Even as I hit ‘submit’, I realized I got the wrong title. That should be “A Summer _Song_” by Chad & Jeremy. Carry on, then… ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/15 "2005-10-22T01:00:58Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > As much as I love that song, it’s more a song about the grim, grey, awkward reality of teenage-dom, and of losing your childish dreams. It’s not exactly a fondly nostalgic look backward. > > Another bleak, “look back in anguish”-type song would be “the Boys of Summer” by Don Henley. Not to mention “Footprints in the Frost” by Squeeze. > > Anyway, for more cheerier songs - > > “Summer Days” Chad & Jeremy > > “Oh, What a Night” by…I don’t think I ever knew who recorded this song. > > “Summertime” originally written by Gershwin, covered by multitudes including Janis Joplin. "Oh What A Night’ The Dells did it in '69. Four Seasons did an up beat version. Don’t remember the year. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/16 "2005-10-22T01:19:00Z")
For a humorous take on the subject, [Springsteen’s “Glory Days”.](http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/GloryDays.html) > [@](#): > > Now I think I’m going down to the well tonight > and I’m going to drink till I get my fill > And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it > but I probably will > Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture > a little of the glory of, well time slips away > and leaves you with nothing mister but > boring stories of glory days ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/17 "2005-10-22T01:20:40Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > … > “Oh, What a Night” by…I don’t think I ever knew who recorded this song. > … Your confusion is understandable. Various sources say December 1963 (Oh What A Night) was by Frankie Valli, others say it was Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, and yet others credit it to The Four Seasons. Many sites also call the song “Oh, What A Night” (notice the comma). As I best recall, the song came out in 1975 or 1976. Also, Wycleff Jean recorded a song, “Oh What A Night” as well, and it even icluded part of the prior song: “Oh, what a night Late December, 1993 (what happened?) Who thought he would rule the industry? What an MC on the grind” In this example, only two lines (the first two) were from the original hit. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/18 "2005-10-22T01:34:37Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > Corn nuts! Even as I hit ‘submit’, I realized I got the wrong title. > > That should be “A Summer _Song_” by Chad & Jeremy. > > Carry on, then… “Distant Shores” too. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/19 "2005-10-22T15:24:02Z")
_Sixteen Blue_ - The Replacements (Let It Be) ---
**Author:** ![snorlax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318/20 "2005-10-22T15:42:49Z")
How about _Alright_ by Supergrass: > [@](#): > > We are young, we run green, > Keep our teeth, nice and clean … An upbeat, fun song that captures the carefree spirit of youth (sigh). Most of you will know this, but for the avoidance of doubt - “fag” is British slang for “cigarette”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-halcyon-days-of-youth/327318.md?page=2)