Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)

Thanks to Nirvana, grunge was coming on strong in 1992. The music was seen as an expression of teen angst, but not all rock bands with a dirty guitar sound were trying to explore their neuroses. In this song, Cracker never mentions teen angst in the lyric, but offers some solutions for life's problems: a stiff drink, a V-8 engine, some lovemaking. Written by lead singer David Lowery, it's kind of an anti-contemplation anthem, as he offers his bit of wisdom: "la la la la la la la la la."

After his group Camper Van Beethoven split up, David Lowery formed Cracker with guitarist Johnny Hickman and bass player Davey Faragher. "Teen Angst" was the most successful song from their 1992 debut album. The track got airplay on "alternative" radio stations, but there weren't that many of them in 1992, as the format was just starting to take hold. Billboard had started tracking the format on their "Modern Rock" chart, and this song went to #1.

The video, directed by Carlos Grasso, is a single static shot of the band ludicrously miming the song in a field. By the end of the clip, they have abandoned their instruments and run off, leaving some dogs to sniff around the remains.