Teenage Riot
🛑 ALL INFORMATION CLICK HERE 👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻
Teenage Riot
[Verse 2] Everybody's coming from the winter vacation Taking in the sun in a exaltation to you You come running in on platform shoes With Marshall stacks to at least just give us a clue [Verse 3] Ah, here it comes I know it's someone I knew Teenage riot in a public station Gonna fight and tear it up in a hypernation for you [Chorus 2] Now I see it I think I'll leave it out of the way Now I come near you And it's not clear while you make the way [Verse 4] Looking for a ride to your secret location Where the kids are setting up a free-speed nation for you Got a foghorn and a drum and a hammer that's rockin' And a cord and a pedal and a lock, that'll do me for now [Verse 5] It better work out I hope it works out my way Cause it's getting kind of quiet in my city's head It takes a teenage riot to get me out of bed right now
[Chorus 3] You better look it We're gonna shake it up to him He acts the hero We paint a zero on his hand [Instrumental Bridge] [Verse 6] We know it's down We know it's bound too loose Everybody's sound is round it Everybody wants to be proud to choose So who's to take the blame for the stormy weather You're never gonna stop all the teenage leather and cooze [Outro] It's time to go round A one man showdown teach us how to fail We're off the streets now And back on the road on the riot trail
What tunings are used on this song?
Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love.
To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum
The opening track of Sonic Youth’s 1988 opus Daydream Nation , “Teen Age Riot” is a sort of call for the underground audiences of New York to unite, according to Pitchfork .
The song imagines what would happen in an alternate reality if J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. were President of the United States , alluded to by his famous use of Marshall stacks and platform shoes.
Given these factors, it would seem the overall message the song is trying to convey is that it’s time for the various underground scenes of New York to come together and make themselves known to the mainstream. Sonic Youth, beyond the shadow of a doubt accomplished this, as they would go on to have the most recognizable careers of the 90’s.
An edited version of the track was released as a limited promo single for radios:
Thurston uses GABDEG, and Lee uses GGDDGG.
Explore American Songwriter Explore American Songwriter
Select Category
American Songwriter Podcast Network
All Heart Podcast
Americana Podcast
Basic Folk Podcast
Bringin’ It Backwards Podcast
Dave’s Five Hot Takes
People Have The Power
Phil Vassar’s Songs From The Cellar
Pitch List Podcast
Power of Song
Prine Time Podcast
She Rocks Podcast
Songcraft Podcast
SongTown on Songwriting
SongWriter Podcast
Stay Human Podcast
Surviving The Music Industry Podcast
The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast
The Zak Kuhn Show
Contests
High Five
Lyric Contest
Lyric Contest Bi-Monthly Winners
Lyric Contest Grand Prize Winners
Lyric Contest Judges
Lyric Contest Success Stories
Lyric Contest Winners Q&A
On My Deathbed
Song Contest
Song Contest Judges
Song Contest Winners
Song Contest Winners Q&A
Digital Issues
Features
Affiliate
Articles
Behind the Album
Behind the Band Name
Behind the Death
Behind The Mic
Behind The Song
Deep Cuts
Digital Cover Exclusives
Duets
Interviews
Legends of Songwriting
Net Worth
Premieres
Quotes
Reasons to Rejoice
Songs You Didn’t Know
The List
Writers Block
Folk Alliance
Gear
Gear Guides
Gift Guides
Lyric Of The Week
Music
Nascar
News
Best New Music
Daily Discovery
Latest News
Today’s Song
Tour Announcements
People
Performances
Photo Galleries
Rap
Reviews
Album Reviews
Book Reviews
Concert Reviews
Gear Reviews
Track Reviews
Songwriter U
Coaching
Getting Paid
Legal Corner
Marketing
Song Critiques
Touring
Writer’s Room
Songwriting History
Uncategorized-DO NOT USE
Video Sessions
Videos
Workshops
Bonnie Baker Workshop
Forest Glen Whitehead Workshop
Writer Of The Week
by
Jim Beviglia
June 19, 2020, 8:00 am
Whether you consider it the apex of the late ’80s alternative music scene of the forefather of the grunge revolution that would sweep the music world in the ’90s, or both, it’s safe to say that few albums have been as impactful as Sonic Youth’s 1988 disc Daydream Nation without ever threatening the mainstream. The closest the album came to commercial success was its opening track and lead single “Teenage Riot.”
Part of the reason for the song’s acceptance at the time on modern rock radio was its capitulation to traditional rock song structure. Once you get past the non-sequitur intro music featuring Kim Gordon’s cryptic chants, “Teenage Riot” settles into a frenzied guitar workout for Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo while Gordon on bass and Steve Shelley on drums keep the rhythmic hammer down. Even at the rapid tempo, Moore imbues the song with enough melody to keep things catchy.
In the liner notes to the deluxe edition of Daydream Nation , Moore was quoted as saying the lyrics were inspired by another alt-rock standout. “It was actually about appointing J Mascis as our de facto alternative dream president,” he said, referring to the frontman of Dinosaur Jr. After all, 1988 was an election year, so the intensity and earnestness behind Moore’s wish was understandable.
But “Teenage Riot” ends up transcending those quirky origins and becomes a kind of anthem even though Moore’s deadpan vocals and wry lyrics never dare to aspire to anthemic status. The song ends up being a snapshot of the disaffected, alienated kids who could get behind a leader who would “come running in on platform shoes/With Marshall stacks/To at least give us a clue.”
In many ways, the kids are the ones enacting the change in the song. “Looking for a ride to your secret location,” Moore sings about the leader. “Where the kids are setting up a free-speed nation for you.” Anything is better, after all, than the ambivalence that has enveloped the narrator’s world: “Cause it’s getting kind of quiet in my city head/It takes a teenage riot to get me out of bed right now.”
One of the ingenious things about “Teenage Riot” is how Gordon’s incantatory rambling at the beginning suddenly makes sense once you hear the bulk of the song. In the context of Moore’s subtle rallying cries, her opening lines seem the collective voice of the teenage populace, especially when she sings, “We will fall.” That pessimism is immediately countered by the glimmers of hope that come shining through once the guitars rev up their engines.
And it is undoubtedly hope, albeit hope tempered with sarcasm, that emerges as the seven-minute song rolls to a close. “You’re never gonna stop all the teenage leather and cooze,” Moore promises. “We’re off the streets now/And back on the road/On the riot trail.”
As we listen to politicians lining up one by one to tell us how they’re going to lead, the message of “Teenage Riot” resonates even louder. Sonic Youth, in their uniquely indirect way, seemed to be saying that the youth of America will ultimately choose their own leaders even if they can’t be bothered to elect them.
Only members can comment. Become a member . Already a member? Log In .
For the latest songwriting tips, reviews, podcasts, and more.
Poems Home
Poem Guides
Poets Home
Poem of the Day
Collections
Harriet Books
Featured Blogger
All Posts
Articles Home
Essays
Interviews
Profiles
All Articles
Video Home
All Videos
Podcasts Home
All Podcasts
Learn Home
Children
Teens
Adults
Educators
Glossary of Poetic Terms
Poetry Out Loud
Upcoming Events
All Past Events
Exhibitions
Poetry Magazine Home
Current Issue
Poetry Magazine Archive
Subscriptions
About the Magazine
How to Submit
Advertise with Us
About Us Home
Visit
Library
Foundation News
Awards & Grants
Media Partnerships
People
Press Releases
Contact Us
Tony Barnstone
Kyle Dargan
Jack Collom
Nikky Finney
Craig Dworkin
Pat Mora
Alistair Campbell
Bob Dylan
Gregory Pardlo
Erika T. Wurth
Tony Barnstone
Kyle Dargan
Jack Collom
Nikky Finney
Craig Dworkin
Pat Mora
Alistair Campbell
Bob Dylan
Gregory Pardlo
Erika T. Wurth
Poems & Poets
Poems Home
Poem Guides
Poets Home
Poem of the Day
Collections
Harriet
Harriet Books
Featured Blogger
All Posts
Articles
Articles Home
Essays
Interviews
Profiles
All Articles
Video
Video Home
All Videos
Podcasts
Podcasts Home
All Podcasts
Learn
Learn Home
Children
Teens
Adults
Educators
Glossary of Poetic Terms
Poetry Out Loud
Events
Upcoming Events
All Past Events
Exhibitions
Poetry Magazine
Poetry Magazine Home
Current Issue
Poetry Magazine Archive
Subscriptions
About the Magazine
How to Submit
Goddess Pussy Licking
French Milf Porn Video
Milf Teasing Her Panties And Stockings