Teen Death Songs

In the fifties, there was a whole trend of sappy songs about young love misunderstood and cut short by the tragedy of death. I tried to track down many of the titles, but they were pretty hard to come by. This is the CD of sorrowful tunes I was able to put together. If you know of any others, please comment.

1 Think of Laura – Christopher Cross
2 Patches – Dickie Lee
3 Ebony Eyes – The Everly Brothers
4 Last Kiss – J. Frank Wilson and the Cavali
5 Endless Sleep – Jody Reynolds
6 Running Bear – Johnny Preston
7 I Want My Baby Back – Mark Chesnutt
8 Teen Angel – Mark Dinning
9 Leader Of The Pack – Melissa Etheridge
10 Moody River – Pat Boone
11 Give Us Your Blessings – The Shangri-Las
12 I Can Never Go Home Anymore – The Shangri-Las
13 Leader Of The Pack – The Shangri-las
14 Johnny Angel – Shelley Fabares
15 Green, Green Grass of Home – Tom Jones
16 Tell Laura I Love Her – Valance, Ricky
17 The Night The Lights Went In Georgia – Vicki Lawrence
18 Laurie, Strange Things Happen – William Ward

This Post Has 10 Comments

  1. Alice

    Great list! Have to mention that Ray Peterson sang “Tell Laura I Love Her” in the early 1960s, and “Johnny Angel” was not a death song.

  2. Kip

    I love this kind of music! A couple my favorites that are not on your list are “Indianna Wants Me” “Honey” (By Bobby Goldsboro), & “Billy Don’t Be a Hero”. My daughters are fond of “Run Joey Run”. I should point out that in “Endless Sleep” nobody dies. By the way, if you just like the tragic death songs in general some other good ones, (or sad ones), are (He Stopped Loving Her Today”, “El Passo”, “Dark Lady”, “Delielah”, “One Last Time”, and the saddest song I’ve ever heard “Daddy’s Little Girl”, by Dr. Hook.

  3. amy west

    some off of my personal soundtrack:
    gloomy sunday – billie holiday
    if you go away – emiliana torrini
    the truth about heaven – armor for sleep
    superstar – carpentersvermilion pt. 2 – slipknot

  4. amy west

    some off of my personal soundtrack:
    gloomy sunday – billie holiday
    if you go away – emiliana torrini
    the truth about heaven – armor for sleep
    superstar – carpenters
    vermilion pt. 2 – slipknot

  5. maggi

    tonight is the night I fell asleep at the wheel – Barenaked Ladies
    and
    dancing in the rearview – as tall as lions
    car crash songs both amazing!

  6. Mark R. Deaver

    By far the best teen tragedy record in my opinion was “Star Crossed Lovers” by the Mystics (an Italo-American doo-wop group from Brooklyn) released in 1961. Not at all corny or maudlin, the recitation intro sets up a stark tale of two teenage runaways whose parents disapprove of their romance. Eventually they meet their untimely end in an auto accident while driving all night. Give it a listen and see if you don’t get teary eyed.

  7. steve

    You should find and listen to Raggedy Ann by Little Jimmy Dickins

  8. Marissah

    I like 18 and life by skid row. and also when your gone and i miss you both by Avril Lavigne

  9. William Hall

    Where can I get the CD of all these? Bill

  10. Steph

    You can make one yourself on iTunes or Amazon.com. I don’t offer one here.

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