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AIBU?

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Original poster

Or was this acceptable in the 60's?

202 replies

luckylucky24 · 15/07/2017 18:57

Today I came across this song by Neil Sedaka called "Happy birthday Sweet 16". It appears that he released a song at age 22 singing about a girl he has known for a while and has been watching and waiting for her to come of age. I find it quite uncomfortable. You couldn't release such a song nowadays so was this okay in the 60's? AIBU to be so uncomfortable with a song that probably hasn't had airtime for 50 years?
Here are the Lyrics
Tra la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen
Tra la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen
Tonight's the night I've waited for
Because you're not a baby anymore
You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen
What happened to that funny face
My little tomboy now wears satins and lace
I can't believe my eyes you're just a teenage dream
When you were only six, I was your big brother
Then when you were ten, we didn't like each other
When you were thirteen, you were my funny valentine
But since you've grown up, your future is sewn up
From now on you're gonna be mine, so
If I should smile with sweet surprise
It's just that you've grown up before my very eyes
You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 15/07/2017 22:17

Just to add to the creepiness of this, when I actually did turn sixteen ,this was played in my dads local for me. Everyone got up to dance, and my fathers friend sang it to me, then made a pass when no one was looking. He was late thirties.

He told me how pretty I was and asked me to meet him for a drink. At another local pub. I thought he was beyond nuts and said yes, with no intention of going. He went and waited for ages, then came back to the pub I was in, really, really pissed off, couldn't believe I hadn't turned up.

Even at sixteen I could not believe he thought I might. I'm not being shallow when I say he was the ugliest and most married bloke you'd ever meet. I was actually very innocent at that age, but for some reason, I was happy and able to set this guy up and did.

So yes, for me, this song will always hold creepy connotations. I can't hear it and not think of my sixteenth birthday and one of my dads friends hitting on me. And no my father didn't know.

squoosh · 15/07/2017 22:22

if he was "really gagging for it" well so are most 19 year old lads, they have done since time began, but he was proper enough not to try when he realised she was younger than him.

You misunderstand. I said it's his implying that she's gagging for it.

lidoshuffle · 15/07/2017 22:26

I was recently reading thread on another site where people were saying Level 42's "Running in the family" was about child sexual abuse. I thought (and think) it was a charming song about family traits. Things were much more innocent in previous decades and people weren't looking for the worst possible spin on pop songs.

Giddyaunt18 · 15/07/2017 22:27

Well a kiss then gabs still pretty innocent to me.

Giggorata · 15/07/2017 22:32

I was just going to mention Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, on Shhhh, a Ten Years After Album, a cover of an old blues song that is unambiguous and letchy. Heard it first when I was a little schoolgirl.
Nevertheless, I really liked it/them.

BubblesBuddy · 15/07/2017 22:34

Bye Bye Baby was The Four Seasons way before the Bay City Rollers covered it!

I think we were all innocent back then and just didn't see much wrong with lyrics about 16 year olds. Lots of girls were in love at 16, married at 18 with a baby at 19.

WinifredAtwellsOtherPiano · 15/07/2017 22:35

I do think the song suffers from a UK POV because to us 16 is the age of consent, whereas in the US it's much fuzzier with all the variations.

I do think that not only are the hordes of people singing along to Come On Eileen at parties fully aware that it's about sex, a good fifty percent of them have in their mind an interpretation significantly filthier than the original.

ellestyle · 15/07/2017 22:37

Oh i see squoosh well maybe she was, she was lucky then that he did right by her and turned her down.

user1476869312 · 15/07/2017 22:44

Come On Eileen is about a bloke meeting up with his childhood sweetheart now they are both a bit older, and wanting to have sex. There's nothing weird or creepy about it - teenagers have and want sex.

MaisieDotes · 15/07/2017 23:30

The one I really don't like hearing is My Shirona, even years ago when I hadn't a clue I thought it was creepy:

Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind
I always get it up, for the touch of the younger kind

Fuck off paedo and your music is shite too!

Also what about "Don't stand so close to me"- isn't that about a teacher?

MaisieDotes · 15/07/2017 23:33

Oh, yep, there's a lovely Sting quote on Wikipedia Shock

MaisieDotes · 15/07/2017 23:35

It might help if I actually included the link

elephantoverthehill · 15/07/2017 23:37

My Shirona, it is a crap song never mind the lyrics. It should be banned, if I ever hear it my ears bleed.

ellestyle · 16/07/2017 12:30

There's a lot of songs i hate, but My Shirona is by far the worst. It's the crappest song in the history of songs.

Giddyaunt18 · 16/07/2017 12:34

I find these days that when they put 'parental advisory lyrics' or whatever on songs, it makes you listen to the lyrics more whereas before this they would go over youngsters' heads. I liked sugar by Maroon 5 and downloaded it only to realise it was about something else! Blush still like it though, gets me through a run.

Giddyaunt18 · 16/07/2017 12:36

God that Sting quote is Hmm!

TheHandmaidsTail · 16/07/2017 12:54

I hate Brown Sugar by The Stones

"tastes just like a young girl should"

Elendon · 16/07/2017 13:11

I hated that Neil Sedaka song. Fuck off with your now 16 and legal shite. Remember the countdown to the Olsen twins' 18th birthday? I won't link. Also Emma Watson.

Yes also to don't stand so close to me. Plus 'every move you make I'll be watching you'. So different to Blondie's One way or Another - which was written in response to a stalker.

Giddyaunt18 · 16/07/2017 13:13

I remember reading that Sting is always aghast at couples who were choosing 'Every breath you take' as a first dance at their wedding as he had written it about a stalker!

Giddyaunt18 · 16/07/2017 13:14

Teenage Kicks anyone? Is it just when you become a parent that you hear these songs differently?

BabychamSocialist · 16/07/2017 13:19

"Square girls, cool girls, sexy little..." etc

How anyone thought this was OK, I'll never know!

Elendon · 16/07/2017 13:20

Re Teenage Kicks It was John Peel's favourite song.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1578522/John-Peel-gets-Teenage-Kicks-epitaph.html

Giddyaunt18 · 16/07/2017 13:22

I love the song but didn't really think about it until I had a teenage daughter, then thought twice about singing it loud whilst making the spag bol!

Poonique · 16/07/2017 21:59

I think to a certain extent everything was a lot more innocent decades ago than now, outwardly anyway. Dennis Locorriere wanted to sing one of Dr Hooks hits a couple of years ago called 'only sixteen' and they wouldn't allow it.

She was only sixteen, only sixteen
But I loved that girl so
She was too young, to fall in love
And I was too young to know

But if you listen after another couple of verses

So why did I give my heart so fast
It never will happen again
But I was a mere child of sixteen
I've aged a year since then

So the singer was actually the same as age, but still it was deemed innapripriate in modern times.

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