Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Thirteen (song)

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Released
  
April 1972 (1972-04)

Length
  
2:34

Genre
  
Folk pop

Label
  
Ardent

Recorded
  
Late 1971 Ardent Studios, Memphis

Writer(s)
  
Alex Chilton Chris Bell

"Thirteen" is a song by the American rock band Big Star. Rolling Stone describes it "one of rock's most beautiful celebrations of adolescence", and rated it #406 on their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. It was written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell.

Contents

Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom writes in his Allmusic review of the song, "There are few songs that capture the aching innocence of adolescence as well" and calls it a "perfect melancholy ballad". The song encompasses folk and pop characteristics with its use of simple lyrics and the acoustic guitar.

The song was originally featured on the 1972 album #1 Record. It was never released as a single by Big Star.

Covers

"Thirteen" has been covered by several notable musicians. They include:

When asked if there was a Big Star cover he was especially fond of, lead singer Alex Chilton mentioned Garbage's version of this song.

  • The Big Star version was used in the HBO series "Vinyl"
  • The Elliott Smith cover of the song was used in the film Thumbsucker, and appears on its soundtrack.
  • Big Star's original was used in How I Met Your Mother episode "Ten Sessions," during a "two-minute date" with Josh Radnor's character and a time-strapped dermatologist, played by Sarah Chalke.
  • The song appeared several times on That '70s Show, in such episodes as "The Seeker" and "That '70s Finale", serving as a theme for the two main characters, Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti, who spend most of the series romantically involved.
  • The song appeared on the Gilmore Girls episode "Rory's Dance" (Season 1, Episode 9).
  • The fourth album of the Scottish band Teenage Fanclub, highly influenced by Big Star, is also named Thirteen.
  • Davis Rogan, a friend of Alex Chilton, covers the song on his album "The Real Davis"

    • References

    Thirteen (song) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA