10 Classic Rock Songs About Growing Up

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In many circumstances, rock songs are all about growing up, unless you are Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry. Classic rock history is filled with stories about life as a teenager. It’s part of what has always fueled the genre: the saga of teenage anger, teenage sadness, teenage angst, teenage curiosity, and, of course, romance. It is all part of the story and the history of rock and roll. With it came hundreds of thousands of songs about that time in our lives that are often referred to as the greatest years of our lives. For some, maybe, but for others, definitely not. Here are ten songs that examine the trials and tribulations of growing up and think about what the future holds.

# 10 – My Generation

We open our 10 Classic Rock Songs About Growing Up list with the ultimate song about not wanting to grow up. Fueled by the iconic line “Hope I Die Before I Get Old,” The Who had a smash hit on their hands with a song that defined a generation of teenage angst. The song was released on the album entitled My Generation. It was the first single released from the album. The album was released in 1965. It was the Who’s debut album.

# 9 – Rock And Roll High School

If there ever was a band that fueled teenage rebellion, it was the Ramones. They weren’t just about teenage rebellion they were about complete rebellion. From their look, their attitude, and, of course, their music, The Ramones would look you right in the face with their three-chord progressions and say, “Get out of my way or hop on.”I saw the movie Rock and Roll High School when I was a High School senior in 1979. It remains one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s probably because of the age I was when I saw it. Nonetheless, the song “Rock and Roll High School,” with the wonderful lyric “I don’t care about history because that’s not where I want to be,” said so much about what most kids felt sitting in that classroom all day long.

# 8 – Magic Man

I remember hearing Hearts “Magic Man” for the first time when I was 15 in the fall of 1976. It was the same fall that Boston released their debut album. What a time for music it was. Hearts’ “Magic Man” is all about growing up. Whenever I hear the song, it brings me back to those magical days in the Bronx and the girl I was crazy about. There was something about this song that just felt like it was time to do some more exploring. It’s a coming-of-age song done in a very passionate way.

# 7 – Friends

Making friends when you are younger is so much of what growing up is all about. Think about the friends you have made in your life. There is a good chance that your best friend in your 50s, 60s, or 70s was your best friend when you were 16. While this song never became a mass hit, Elton John fans loved this one. It’s one of my favorite Elton John songs of all time, and I’m pretty sure if you are a die-hard Elton John fan, you would agree with me.

# 6 – I Dont Wanna Grow Up – Tom Waits

Like the Who’s grand song “My Generation,” Tom Waits delivered another classic in the vein of not wanting to grow old. The song was released on Tom Waits Bone Machine album. The album was released in 1992. Waits lyrics are as poignant as it gets regarding the fears of what aging does to a person. Who wants their hair to fall out, have to get loans, or deal with grown-up stuff? It’s not just about responsibility; it’s about what he sees on the news and all the mystery and gloom out there that he does not want to deal with. If you are not crazy about Tom Waits’ style, check out the Ramone’s version of this tune.

# 5 – Subdivisions – Rush

Not every song about growing up is so clear upon first listen. This holds very true for progressive rock bands like Rush, where fans are sometimes more in tune with the music than the lyrics, which can sometimes be hard to understand. Progressive rock lyrics can also tend to be more open to poetic interpretation. However, in this one, it’s pretty clear what the late Neil Peart had written as the band’s lyricist. This one is all about youth finding their way in life. It’s about standing out in a world that predetermines one’s fate. It’s for those who didn’t want to follow the standards. There is a sci-fi feel to it because of the music and some of the lyrical content, but in the end, it goes back to the idea of teenage rebellion and not fitting in.

# 4 – Night Moves

At number four on our 10 Classic Rock Songs About Growing Up list, we present the legendary Bob Seger song “Night Moves.” The song was released on the Night Moves album in 1976. Bruce Springsteen inspired many with his Born To Run album and stories about teenagers growing up on the city streets. This one was inspired by Born To Run. Of course, Bob Seger did it his way and delivered one of his most loved songs. When he sang “Trying to Lose the Awkward Teenage Blues,” we knew precisely what he was talking about.

# 3 – Backstreets

While many fans would have thought the Bruce Springsteen song Growing Up perfectly fit this list, we thought Backstreets was just so much better. For many Springsteen fans, “Backstreets” remains their favorite Bruce song. Songs like this from the Born To Run album captivated millions of young music fans like myself, turning them into lifelong Bruce fans. Our favorite line from the song was, “Remember Terry, all the movies we go see, trying to learn how to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be.” That line said it all.

# 2 – Jack And Diane

How often did you see this song played on MTV in the early 1980s? Whenever I turned on MTV, this song usually came on after Tommy Tutone’s”867-5309/Jenny” or Asia’s “Heat Of The Moment.” MTV loves to play the same videos every hour. This one pretty much is almost the perfect song about Growing up. It tells the story through the eyes of one couple. It’s very relatable to so many. John Mellencamp wrote his greatest line ever in the simple phrase, “Oh Yeah, Life Goes On, long after the thrill of living is gone. So well said and so true.

# 1 – Hot For Teacher

We close out our 10 Classic Rock Songs About Growing Up list with the song “Hot For Teacher.” Come on now, have a sense of humor; you know this is the perfect choice. It has one of the greatest lines in rock and roll history that every teenager can relate to when Dave sings, “Oh man, I think the clock is slow, What are you doin’ this weekend?” Even teachers relate to that one. The video for “Hot For Teacher,” is easily the most entertaining Van Halen video the group has ever released. It’s also one of Van Halen’s best songs. It’s funny how Tipper Gore and her (PMRC) went after the video way back in the 80s. They just didn’t get it.

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