Rena Strober
A Girl Named Sue
[MS. FLEMING, spoken]
Hello, Westerburg! Welcome to our special assembly! Don't even call it an assembly—it's a listen-in. (unintelligible screaming)
We all need healing and communication, so to kick it off, let's give a big welcome to the number two unsigned band in all of Ohio: Mourning in America!

[LEAD SINGER, spoken]
Hello, Westerburg! We're here to tell you that suicide is for squares and losers; rock and roll is life! One, two, three, yeah!

[LEAD SINGER]
Let me warn ya' bout the girl named Sue
She'll make all your nightmares come true
Late at night she invades your head
Makes you feel like you should be dead!

[BACKUP VOCALS]
Stay away from me!

[LEAD SINGER]
Miss Teenage Suicide

[BACKUP VOCALS]
Teenage suicide!

[LEAD SINGER]
Oh the misery
Miss Teenage Suicide
[BACKUP VOCALS]
Teenage suicide!

[LEAD SINGER]
When you get it, teenage—

[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP VOCALS]
Su-su-suicide!

[LEAD SINGER]
She looks up with her [?] eyes

[BACKUP SINGER]
Those eyes

[LEAD SINGER]
Never, never here to kiss her twice

[BACKUP SINGER]
That’s quite nice

[LEAD SINGER]
She takes women, and she takes men

[BACKUP SINGER]
Oh no
[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP SINGER]
Stop havoc while she kills again!

[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP VOCALS]
Stay away from us!

[LEAD SINGER]
Miss Teenage Suicide

[BACKUP VOCALS]
Teenage suicide!

[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP VOCALS]
You're too dangerous

[LEAD SINGER]
Miss Teenage Suicide

[BACKUP VOCALS & LEAD SINGER]
Teenage suicide! (Woah-oh-oh-oh)

[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP VOCALS]
Me and you are through

[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP VOCALS]
Miss Teenage Suicide (Suicide)
[LEAD SINGER & BACKUP VOCALS]
Don't let teenage su-su-suici—

[MS. FLEMING, spoken]
What really killed Heather, Ram, and Kurt—

[STUDENTS]
(Groan)

[MRS. FLEMING, spoken]
—Secrecy. They were ashamed of what they felt and who they were inside, and they couldn't trust in their safety net. Not parents, not faculty, not even you, their friends. So if any if you are considering suicide [actress misspeaks], I want you to look around first and speak up. Share your pain! Who's first? Come on, kids, give me something to work with here!

[HEATHER MCNAMARA, spoken]
My best friend killed herself

[HEATHER DUKE, spoken]
What is she doing?