Today is Neil Sedaka's Birthday. Neil Sedaka had several big hits in the late 50s and 60s including "Right Next Door to an Angel", "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen", "Calendar Girl" and my favorite "Breaking Up is Hard To Do".He also composed quite a lot of music, including Connie Francis' big hits "Where The Boys Are" and "Stupid Cupid". But for me "Breaking Up is Hard To Do" is the song I always think of when I think of Sedaka because of my first school dance.
When I was twelve I was dragged to my first school dance by several of my friends. I'll never forget it because I had just been dumped by my very first boyfriend that very day. We had "gone steady" a grand total of five days. My ex couldn't take the ribbing from his goofy little co-horts for having a girlfriend so, sadly, our great romance was a thing of the past.
They must have played "Breaking Up is Hard To Do" a gazillion times at that dance. At least it felt that way to me. I would look across the room at the boys all clumped together and, boom, on went that song again! I don't think I could have gotten any more miserable. It was not the kind of night that makes for good diary entries!
I was a pretty typical twelve year old and twelve year old girls are highly prone to drama and angst. Twelve year old boys, on the other hand, are insensitive little twits with no social graces. It's not a combination that makes for smooth sailing in the adolescence years!
I did get over my trama and manage to attend a few other school dances following my big "break up". I am a wounded veteran of teenage love, but I've forgiven Neil Sedaka. I don't think he aimed that song at me, but I wasn't too sure on that particular night.
