"Thirteen" is a song by the American rock band Big Star. Rolling Stone describes it "one of rock's most beautiful celebrations of adolescence", and rated it #406 a list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. It was written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell. Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom writes in his Allmusic review of the song, "There are few songs that capture the aching innocence of adolescence as well" and calls it a "perfect melancholy ballad". The song was originally featured on the 1972 album #1 Record. It was never released as a single by Big Star.