Teenage Kicks (2:28)

“Teenage Kicks” is a 1978 song originally recorded by Northern Irish 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 favorite song. The Teenage Kicks EP was produced by The Undertones and engineered by Davy Shannon not as commonly stated by Dave Smyth who was merely the owner of the Wizard Sound Studios in Belfast where it was recorded.

“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, Boom Boom Kid, Thee Headcoatees, Franz Ferdinand, Supergrass, The Young Fresh Fellows, Snow Patrol, KT Tunstall, The Coral, The Raconteurs, Violent Delight, Criminal Mischief, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Beatsteaks, Seabear, Maroon, Every Dirty Street 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.

In 1978, John Peel played 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.