"Teenage Kicks" is a 1978 song originally recorded by Northern Ireland punk rock group The Undertones. Composed by the band's principal songwriter, John O'Neill, it was championed by DJ John Peel, and was his all-time favourite song.[1] The Teenage Kicks EP was produced by Dave Smyth,[2] who produced many of the Good Vibrations records in the 1970s, at his studio, Wizard Sound Studios in Belfast.
"Teenage Kicks" was acoustically covered by Snow Patrol in tribute to John Peel, and was played at his funeral. Bands that have performed this song also include Razorlight, Ash, Skunk Anansie,The Pink Spiders, Busted, Groovie Ghoulies, Sahara Hotnights, The Saw Doctors, Therapy?, Buzzcocks, Nouvelle Vague, Green Day, Thee Headcoatees, Franz Ferdinand, The Coral, The Raconteurs, Violent Delight, Criminal Mischief, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, KT Tunstall, Beatsteaks, Seabear and Pelucas Rosas.
The riff for "Teenage Kicks" is almost identical to the riff for "Some Kinda Hate" by The Misfits. Both songs were recorded in the same year, 1978.
John Peel made history in 1978 by playing the song twice in a row on his Radio 1 show. Peel often rated new bands' songs with 1 to 5 stars. He liked "Teenage Kicks" so much he awarded 28 stars.
In 2004 a mural in tribute to him, featuring the opening line of the song, appeared on a Belfast flyover.[3]
In 2001 Peel had written in The Guardian that apart from his name all he wanted on his gravestone were the words, "Teenage dreams, so hard to beat", from the lyrics of "Teenage Kicks".[4] In February 2008, a headstone engraved with the line was placed on his grave in Great Finborough, Suffolk.[5]
In May and June 2007, Irish radio station Today FM, acknowledging the Undertones original as the best version, held a competition to find "the second best version." The winner was the band Prison Love,[6] who won with a bluegrass version.[7]
Fans of Derry City F.C. regularly sing the song during the team's games.
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones is a 2001 documentary film directed by Tom Collins.[8]
Track listing
Side A:
- "Teenage Kicks"
- "True Confessions"
Side B:
- "Smarter Than U"
- "Emergency Cases"
References
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