Beware Of Young Girls

Album: On My Way To Where (1970)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Unlike the Wishbone Ash song "Jail Bait," this is an intensely personal song, one tinged with sarcasm and bitterness.

    Lyricist Dory Langdon married the composer André Previn in 1959. She was his second wife, and he was her second husband. They went on to write songs together, and their marriage would very likely have been successful, but Dory was terrified of flying, so did not accompany her husband to the UK, where he began an affair with the actress Mia Farrow while she was working on the film A Dandy In Aspic.

    Farrow became pregnant by Previn, and would become his third wife in 1970. She was some 16 years younger than him; Dory was nearly four years older than her then husband, and was clearly and understandably resentful of this young girl.

    "Beware Of Young Girls" uses some poetic licence, but Farrow was 23 when she and André began their affair, and the subject of the song is 24.
  • "Beware Of Young Girls" was recorded with solo acoustic guitar and runs to a shade over four minutes. It has a Janis Ian feel to it in more ways than one. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
  • This was used in a 2015 episode of the TV series Scream Queens that was also titled "Beware of Young Girls."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.