For all of the negative aspects of being a teenager, there were certainly plenty of upsides, too. Fewer responsibilities, more freedom because of it, the exciting hope for what the future might look likeโteenage years are tumultuous, but they can also be thrilling. The music we listen to at this particular time in our lives reflects this rollercoaster of an age range, including these five rock songs from the 1970s guaranteed to make baby boomers feel like a teen again.
โAnother Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2โ by Pink Floyd
What better song to encapsulate the teenage ethos than Pink Floydโs 1979 disco-esque hit, โAnother Brick In The Wallโ? While The Wall as a whole might not have screamed mainstream, this specific cut had plenty of commercial appeal. And thatโs thanks in large part to the fact that every teenager everywhere loves screaming the lines, โHey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!โ
Videos by American Songwriter
โHeart Of Glassโ by Blondie
Many baby boomers saw more straightforward styles of rock โnโ roll give way to pop-influenced new wave, and Blondie was at the forefront of this sonic movement. โHeart Of Glassโ is equal parts nostalgic and hopeful, if only in musical feel. For any baby boomer who graduated high school in or around 1979, this song is sure to transport them back to their younger years.
โPsycho Killerโ by Talking Heads
โPsycho Killerโ is another song that is as indicative of the changing times as it is of the genre as a whole. Talking Heads helped move the new wave movement along with the release of their 1977 eponymous debut. Itโs the kind of music that your parents groaned at as you sang โfa, fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, faโ around the house.
โMr. Blue Skyโ by Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestraโs โMr. Blue Skyโ is the kind of bouncy pop melody that reminds you of a time when your calendar was clear, and the world was your oyster. You didnโt have to worry about running errands or doing chores after the dayโs work was done. You could just go out and enjoy the sunshine, which, ironically, we never fully appreciated enough when we had the time to do it.
โRock And Roll All Niteโ by KISS
Conversely, 1970s rock songs like โRock And Roll All Niteโ by KISS serve as raucous reminders of a time in our lives when we could stay up until 5 am and not think twice about it. Now, staying up that lateโand not sleeping for the entire next dayโwould require an emergency of epic proportions. Rock and roll all night? Thatโs just not realistic for most baby boomers. But itโs fun to think back on those years just the same.
Photo by Brad Elterman/FilmMagic
More The List
-

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 30: (L-R) Flea, Chad Smith, John Frusciante, and Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers perform onstage during the FIREAID Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief at The Kia Forum on January 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for FIREAID)







