“Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)”
by Cracker
from the album Cracker
1992
Buy the album on Amazon

Lately I’ve been posting a lot about songs that I desperately want to perform at karaoke but couldn’t because the man didn’t deem them worthy of inclusion.  However, this entry falls more in line with the thought, “Wow, this would be a great song to sing at karaoke.”

I remember generally dismissing Cracker for years based on the video for this song, which has the guys in a field prancing around like dandy rednecks, with dirt bikes and half-collapsed barns littering the background.   When you’re trying to escape your shitty hometown you don’t want to be reminded of the situation everytime you turn on MTV.

But a few years later I happened upon “Low” on a compilation CD and the brilliance of Cracker started to bubble up through the bullshit shell of redneckery I had placed them in decades earlier.  It also didn’t hurt matters that my friend Amy took me to an amazing concert in NYC featuring Camper Van Beethoven  and Cracker.  At one point during the show, David Lowery said something along the lines of “Don’t expect an encore.  We’re playing two shows tonight so when we’re done and the lights come up, go home.” Finally.  The scourge of the encore was over.  At least for that night.

I’m once again digging on Cracker especially since “Teen Angst” has come shuffled up a few times in the car and I realized it would make an amazing song to bust out at karaoke one night.  Check this out:

I don’t know what the world may need
But I’m sure as hell that is starts with me
And that’s a wisdom, I’ve laughed at
I don’t know what the world may want
But a good stiff drink it surely don’t
So I think I’ll go and fix myself a tall one

‘Cause, what the world needs now
Is a new kind of tension
‘Cause the old one just bores me to death
‘Cause, what the world needs now
Is another folk singer
Like I need a hole in my head

I don’t know what the world may need
But a V8 engine is a good start for me
Think I’ll drive to find a place, to be surly
I don’t know what the world may want
But some words of wisdom could comfort us
Think I’ll leave that up to someone wiser

‘Cause, what the world needs now
Are some true words of wisdom
Like La la la la la la la la la la
‘Cause, what the world needs now
Is another folk singer
Like I need a hole in my head

I don’t know what the world may need
And I never grasped your complexities
I’d be happy just to get your attention
I don’t know what the world may want
But your long, sweet body lying next
To mine could certainly raise my spirits

‘Cause what the world needs now
Is a new Frank Sinatra
So I can get you in bed
‘Cause what the world needs now
Is another folk singer
Like I need a hole in my head

What the world needs now
What the world needs now
Is another folk singer
Like I need a hole in my head, head, head
What the world needs now
What the world needs now
Is a new Frank Sinatra
So I can get you in bed

What the world needs now
What the world needs now
Is another folk singer
Like I need a hole in my head
What the world needs now
What the world needs now
Is another folk singer
Like I need a hole in my head

How brilliant is that?  I mean can you imagine being in the right kind of crowd, on the right kind of night and everyone sings in unison

‘Cause, what the world needs now
Are some true words of wisdom
Like La la la la la la la la la la

Oh hell yes.