"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 #396 on their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.[4] It was written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell.
| "Thirteen" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Label to the single with mislabeling as "Don't Lie to Me" | ||||
| Single by Big Star | ||||
| from the album #1 Record | ||||
| B-side | "Watch the Sunrise" | |||
| Released | 1974 | |||
| Recorded | Late 1971 | |||
| Studio | Ardent, Memphis | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:34 | |||
| Label | Ardent | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | John Fry | |||
| Big Star singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
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".[5] The song encompasses folk and pop characteristics with its use of simple lyrics and the acoustic guitar.[5][1]
Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as Big Star's 2nd best song, calling it "a gorgeous song" that "goes straight to the heart."[6] Kachejian particularly praised the "beautiful harmonies" and felt that it influenced bands such as the Replacements.[6]
SingersRoom critic Simon Robinson rated it Big Star's best song, praising the "catchy melody and jangly guitars that perfectly capture the carefree and optimistic spirit of youth" and the "simple yet poignant" lyrics that evoke the "experience of teenage romance and heartbreak."[7]
The song was originally featured on the 1972 album #1 Record. It was released as a single by Big Star with “Watch the Sunrise” as the B-Side, on Ardent Records,[8] but was mislabeled as “Don’t Lie to Me”.
"Thirteen" was featured in the season 6 and season 8 finale of That '70s Show. The song was covered by Grace VanderWaal and Graham Verchere in the 2020 movie Stargirl on Disney+ with a Grace Vanderwaal only performance appearing as a bonus on the soundtrack.
Covers
edit"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.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b Sarig, Roni (1998). The Secret History of Rock: The Most Influential Bands You've Never Heard. Billboard Books. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-8230-7669-7.
- ^ McMillan, Graeme (May 2, 2013). "Big Star: The Ultimate American Pop Band". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
- ^ Molanphy, Chris (June 29, 2018). "The Deadbeat Club Edition, Part 1". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time — Thirteen: Big Star". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
- ^ a b Janovitz, Bill. "Thirteen - Big Star". AllMusic. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
- ^ a b Kachejian, Brian. "Top 10 Big Star Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
- ^ Robinson, Simon (March 14, 2023). "10 Best Big Star Songs of All Time". SingersRoom. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
- ^ George-Warren, Holly (March 2014). A Man Called Destruction: The Life and Music of Alex Chilton, from Box Tops to Big Star to Backdoor Man. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-02563-3.
- ^ Luerssen, John D. (February 28, 2000). "Alex Chilton Set to Go". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 26, 2009.