Or was this acceptable in the 60's?

[luckylucky24]

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

I think that song is early 60s before Dr Hook

Craig Douglas

it was totally acceptable in the sixties, he'd be a vile paedo now.

Meh. Rita Ora has a song out about fucking on a mate's couch. Which is grim in so many ways.

The Only Sixteen lyrics by Craig Douglas didn't say "child of sixteen", the words were "lad of sixteen". No sixteen year old was thought of as a child in those days. The song was about two sixteen year olds in love, not a problem then or now.

I agree. Too much overthinking.

Why do I have to be a teenager in love etc

Although now we consider 16 to be still a child, back then most people left school and we're working at 15. It was not at all unusual to be married and a parent in your teens - both my mum and MIL were married at 18. My paternal grandmother was married at 16 and was a parent before she was 17. In the late 50's and early 60's, 'teenagers' were a new market for fashions and music. The songs were aimed at them rather than their parents do needed to appeal to the younger audience.
I'd be much more concerned about the lyrics of a lot of current music.

I was 16 in 1960. It would never have occurred to us that that song was about anything other than 2 kids. In my mind he was 18 she was 16. It was very common not to be allowed a boyfriend at all before age 16.

That's my point, the song isn't "worrying" in the slightest, then or now. I think it's originally a 50's/60's song anyway, but despite this it was banished the BBC a few years back when DL was invited to oerform due to the content. It's almost as though even innocent meanings are sexualized in this day and age.

Billy J Kramer (I think) sings a song called Little Children. Its about trying to bribe a couple of kids to keep quiet while he has a kiss and a cuddle with their older sister. Lyrically, nothing untoward is insinuated but it really gives my DH the creeps

In and of itself I don't have an issue with teenage kicks, I always assumed thAt referred to author and subject. But there's more an issue with John peel generally www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/fiona-sturges-the-teary-tributes-to-john-peel-make-me-feel-queasy-youd-think-the-bbc-would-have-9797148.html%3Famp

petalmettle John Peel was into punk music, it's perfectly understandable that 'teenage kicks' would be his favourite song.
I've always liked it as well, I've never read the lyrics before (and couldn't care less, tbh), it just sums up the feeling of being a teenager. Which is what pop/rock music is really about.

I was recently reading thread on another site where people were saying Level 42's "Running in the family" was about child sexual abuse.

It isn't. Two teenage boys (the narrator and his brother Joseph) whose dad was strict with them get in trouble with the police. Their dad who comes to collect them, reveals that he's been so strict as he was a bit of a tearaway as a teenager and the narrator reflects that he and his brother are feted to make the same mistakes their father did as a teenager.

"All heading in the same direction
He knew
No matter what the breaks
We'd make the same mistakes"

Agree that then most people were working full time at 15.

Stalking someone?

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you

Oh can't you see
You belong to me
My poor heart aches
With every step you take

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you

Since you've gone I been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby, please

Don't Stand too Close to me, was written by an ex school teacher, singing about his attraction to some of his pupils. Now that was really dodgy, and played all over the radio.

Interview about Come on Eileen

"For years I told everyone that Eileen was my childhood girlfriend. In fact she was composite, to make a point about Catholic repression. On the Projected Passion Revue tour in 81 there was this girl interviewing us and she was going on about the spiritual nature of this music and I’m thinking to myself: “Right, but that’s not what I’m feeling at this moment …” She was really good looking, and I was reminded of being a teenager, surrounded by Irish Catholic girls you couldn’t touch, but at the same time with these overpowering feelings of lust which you’re not supposed to have. "

Hardly news, teenage boys wanting sex.

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

Given that the narrator in the song is clearly a teenage boy listing after a teenage girl, rather than some sweaty old pervert with unpleasant intentions towards a teenage girl. Add to the fact that John O'Neill of the Undertones was a teenager when he wrote it.

I agree Boys, love that song!

Teenage kicks is fine. Teenagers often have strong feelings of lust, although most parents seem to choose to forget that.

Thanks - I thought I was missing something bad about Teenage kicks - it seems a very innocuous song to me. John Peel and teenage girls is a different matter.

There were plenty of much more dodgy punk era songs

I may be wrong but there was nothing legal about being 16 as regards sex/marriage on the 60s.This was the age you left school and became an adult that way.You were still very much you father's property.
Yes sex was about but at 16 it's more about romance,a much more innocent age

It was perfectly normal in the late 60s and early 70s for men in their late teens and 20s to lust after younger teenage girls / schoolgirls. There were tons of songs reflecting this and nobody thought anything of it (including me - I was a teenager at the time). I'm sure we thought it would have been cool to be approached by a rock star! (but definitely not a Radio 1 DJ!). Fortunately the question never arose but looking back I can definitely see why my mother was so against the whole pop scene and 'permissive society'. In fact I wonder if she had heard things about Jimmy Savile (she would have known people known to him) and that was why she was so down on me going out and having a good time, staying out late etc.

I'm afraid you're right, Nomorechickens. There's been a big change in attitudes since then (for the better, I think). That's probably why a record company vetoed a cover version of one of those old songs. Acceptable then, not now.

There are still quite a lot of people who do think teenage girls throw themselves at older men who then take advantage of the situation, as is only natural, given that these poor men have urges and it's not really possible for them to exercise self-control. No concept of grooming, no acceptance that an adult has to be responsible and not abuse their position of power (from being older, at the very least). Depressing.

Always difficult though to go back to songs, books, films etc etc from the past and reinterpret/censor them with today's attitudes. There wouldn't be a lot left in some cases.

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

How can that NOT be sexual? Dear Lord what in earth do people think it's about ? Yes it's sexual and yes it was more acceptable back then.

Certainly sexual overtones, Dame, but maybe the 16yo wasn't allowed to date until her 16th birthday? Going off at a tangent, btw, but Neil Sedaka's very high voice would have put me right off. No shenanigans for any parent to worry about if he'd taken me out on my 16th birthday!