I was never so nationalistic that I thought of Badfinger as the British Big Star. It was always the other way around: Memphis' Big Star was sorta the American Badfinger. If that makes any sense.

Maybe it's my way of saying they played a similar brand of excellent melodic rock — yes, two of the prime archetypes of "power pop" and all that contextually followed, good or bad — but that, in my opinion, all things considered, I prefer Badfinger.

But why is it necessary to make a choice? We have them both! Or at least their legacies.

I'll forever associate Big Star with "Thirteen," one of the finest paeons to adolescent first-crush ever. The music is simple and sweet, the melody tentative and lovely, and the first-person hero of the tune stands charmingly at that awkward intersection of puppy-like adoration and schoolboy rebellion. Who knows where it will lead him in the next few years — but he would be honored to take Her with him.

The first verse aches with hope:"Won't you let me walk you home from school? / Won't you let me meet you at the pool?" Then the kid assumes some attitude. In the next verse, he says, "Won't you tell your dad to get off my back / Tell him what we said about 'Paint It Black' / Rock 'n' roll is here to stay …"

Finally, he leaves the decision up to Her — but it's wonderfully obvious what he wants to hear: "Won't you tell me what you're thinking of? / Would you be an outlaw for my love? / If it's so then let me know / If it's no then I can go / And I won't make you …"

And you know it will just wreck him if She says "no."

Big Star songwriters Chris Bell and Alex Chilton composed "Thirteen" — just one of many, many terrific tunes they came up with. Theirs was an amazing, short-lived, mercurial partnership — as pockmarked by acrimony as it was immortalized by the innate brilliance of the work. Bell died in 1978 and so hopes for any potential reunion were dashed years ago.

Chilton, who'd already achieved AM radio immortality as the Box Top behind "The Letter," continued to work sporadically — both solo and with offshoot versions of Big Star. He passed away early Thursday in his adopted town of New Orleans of a heart attack. The latest incarnation of Big Star had been scheduled to play Saturday at the South-by-Southwest festival in Austin.

He was 59.

There are probably thousands of females out there, across three generations, who are Eternally 13 today because, all those years ago, they wisely decided Yes — they would be an outlaw for somebody's love.