Leader of the Pack - Written by George Morton and recorded by the Shangri-Las in 1964. Betty falls in love with Jimmy, the leader of a motorcycle gang. Betty's parents don't like Jimmy and force her to break it off. When she does, Jimmy speeds off into the rainy night. Betty calls after him to slow down but he loses control of his bike.
Tell Laura I Love Her - Recorded in 1960 by Ray Peterson and later by Ricky Valance. Tommy wants to buy his girl a wedding ring and enters a stock car race hoping to win the 00 prize. During the race his car flips and bursts into flames. Tommy's dying words are to tell Laura he loves her.
Meat Loaf
Bat Out of Hell - Written by Jim Steinman and performed by Meat Loaf. "Bat Out of Hell" has every element a teen tragedy needs. There's the boy who lives in a world of evil and shadows and the girl who brings light and goodness into his life. The boy rides his motorcycle too fast and misses a curve. As he lies dying next to his burning bike, his heart beats so hard that it explodes out of his chest.
Teen Angel - Recorded by Mark Dinning in 1959. Written by Jean Dinning and her husband, this song is about a girl and her boyfriend out for a ride. The car stalls on the railroad tracks and the boy pulls the girl to safety. The girl runs back to the car and gets hit by the train. When they find her body, she's clutching the boy's high school ring.
Last Kiss - Written by Wayne Cochran of the C.C. Riders. He started the song in 1956. Shortly before Christmas in 1962, a 16 year old named Jeanette was out with a group of friends. Another car collided with a truck and spun into the path of Jeanette's car. Three teens were killed and the rest were seriously injured. The accident inspired Cochran to finish the song and dedicate it to Jeanette.
Dead Man's Curve - Written by Roger Christian and Jan Berry and recorded by the duo Jan and Dean. The song is about a drag race that starts at Sunset and Vine and ends at Dead Man's Curve. The two cars, a Corvette Sting Ray and a Jaguar XKE, are tied as they approach the curve but then collide, killing both drivers.
Lightning Crashes - Written and recorded by the band Live in 1995. The song was dedicated to a 19-year-old friend of the band killed by a drunk driver. Many of her organs were donated, including her liver, which was given to a 10 month old baby. The song reflects on how her death enabled others to live.
Untitled - Written and recorded in 1995 by Simple Plan. The lyrics describe the dying thoughts of an accident victim but the music video tells a bigger story. A drunken driver swerves head-on into the path of a car driven by a teenage girl. The girl dies while the drunk driver is uninjured. The video illustrates the impact of the girl's death on her family and friends. MADD uses this song in their anti-drunk driving campaigns.
DOA - Recorded in 1971 by Bloodrock. The song is based on an airplane crash that killed the entire Wichita State University football team. The lyrics are an account by a victim who survived the initial crash. Surrounded by body parts, he sees the hopelessness in the face of the medic attending to him. Sirens in the background are shut off at the end of the song letting us know the victim has died.
Wreck on the Highway - Written and performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. It tells the story of a man who witnesses a rainy night hit and run accident. The man is unable to sleep, tortured by what he saw. Springsteen was inspired by a 1940s Roy Acuff song of the same name and says the song was a turning point in his world view and song writing style.
Disaster Songs - 10 Great Songs That Turn Tragedy Into Art
If you've been injured in an accident in Las Vegas, contact a Las Vegas personal injury attorney to discuss your case before you write a song. Zach Wyrick helps websites rank better in search results through small business SEO at Write Way Inc.
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