Having just come back from seeing a local adaptation of this former Broadway Musical I just had to chime in on the soundtrack to this ‘age appropriate’ show.
13 has an absolutely outstanding soundtrack that is firmly stuck in my head.
The lyrics are fantastic, and in the song “What It Means To Be A Friend”, they are absolutely beautiful. They’re incredibly true and deep and show what it truly means to be a friend. When I first heard it, I almost cried and now I know, if I ever feel like singing to my friend, I know exactly what to sing.
“Tell Her” is a great song about love. Catchy but also heartfelt, it’s one of my favourites and has been playing in my head all night.
“Hey Kendra” is beyond hilarious because of the background singers. It’s laughable and I can say that I’ve never laughed so hard at a song in my entire life. Teenagers are brutal, trust me I know.
“Opportunity” is sassy and backstabbing and realistically true in a sense that teenage girls are monsters. It really surprised me when I heard it because it totally described how horrible this age is to each other. I actually think I go to school with this exact persona.
The whole soundtrack tells the story of growing up, and the challenges and insecurities we all feel. This is done in an upbeat yet sincere way and hold a strong place in your heart. And even if you aren’t young, or 13 so to speak, it can help you relive the good- and bad- times of that age.
Stereotypes never go away, the loser the geek the poser the jock and the Jew, all right there with a great beat.
I wont be 13 for much longer, but the lyrics and themes of this show are ageless.