Ahhh, sweet, sweet, youth….and….innocence? Let’s be real here for a second: you don’t have to be a Vladimir Nabokov connoisseur to know that, more than society would like to admit, young women (and I mean young women) have been the apples of MANY, much older sets of eyes. But this isn’t a list of songs about creepy older men. Lolitas, in heart shaped sunglasses and schoolgirl uniforms, present a messy, gray area that’s been inspiring (and confusing) artists for generations.
1. “Thirteen” Big Star
Whoa there Big Star. Young is one thing, but thirteen is a whole other ballgame — it’s Bat Mitzvah age. I mean, I guess when you think about the Middle Ages, there were thirteen year olds getting married all the time. But, it’s been a few hundred years since then, so… who are we kidding, this song is absolutely beautiful. Alex Chilton, all is forgiven.
2. “I Saw Her Standing There” the Beatles
“Well she was just seventeen, you know what I mean?” *Wink wink* seventeen year olds, am I right?! In reality, we were probably all raised with this song and never considered it inappropriate, but for an opening line, it sure sticks with you.
3. “15” Rilo Kiley
As cringeworthy as it is to hear young girls described as being “ripe (as a peach),” this little Rilo Kiley diddy captures what I think is supposed to be a sweet love story. Anyone else think the lyrics seem to be inspired by the plot of Terrence Malick’s Badlands?
4. “Suspended From Class” — Camera Obscura
There’s nothing like a teacher crush to make a teenage girl feel more mature than every other tweed blazer-loving schoolgirl. Most likely, this song is a daydream scenario that is apparently so serious that she thinks she should be suspended from class. Damn, schoolgirl.
5. “Only Sixteen” Sam Cooke
Oh, sweet sixteen, the golden age when womanhood seems within grasp — when you finally get to transition out of the awkward early teen years. It’s, needless to say, a very dangerous age. This Sam Cooke song is as sweet as it feels to be sixteen.
6. “Sixteen” The Heavy
This sultry, blues-funk tune features the devil, lots of sexual innuendo and sixteen year olds acting like 40 year olds. Damn, those sixteen year olds really are vixens.
7. “Little Girl…” the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys have a notoriously benign, sweet sound, but underneath all of that sugar coating, they also have a history of writing controversial lyrics. This one is not regarded as controversial as, say, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” for instance — but hey, still singing about “little girls”.
8. “Lolita” Lana Del Rey
Well, it’s nice to hear the self-recognition of being a Lolita, so thanks for that, Lana Del Ray. This song is somewhat creepy due to her extremely affected voice, which makes her sound much younger, and supercharged, erotic dance beat behind it. She’s right, no more skipping rope for this Lolita.
9. “17” Kings of Leon
Well, according to Twitter, this song is about Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill’s affair with a Spanish 17 year old. That’s all.
10. “She Will Be Loved” Maroon 5
Ok, yes, a “beauty queen of eighteen” is technically a legal adult, not a child anymore (an argument I’m sure many of the world’s Humbert Humberts have made before), but still…if you’re gonna draw attention to it, Adam Levine, she’s probably too young.
