Teenagers (song)
Encyclopedia
"Teenagers" is the fourth single
and the eleventh track
from My Chemical Romance
's third studio album, The Black Parade
. It is the third U.S.
single from the album, but it is the fourth single released in the UK
, the Philippines
, Australia
and Canada
. This song is the band's eleventh overall single.
is quoted as saying that he wrote the song after finding himself in a New York subway car full of high schoolers: "That was the first time I felt old...I was nervous and I was a target. I felt like I had become a parent figure or part of the problem."
About the relationship between the song and concerns about gun violence
, Way said:
This song was #25 on Rolling Stone
The single is certified Platinum by the RIAA.
(during live performances, the piano plays along to the music even more so). The album version of the song does not have this piano playing until the coda
. Early in the video, it shows teenagers breaking in.
The video has several references to the film
version of Pink Floyd
's The Wall
(Gerard Way is even seen wearing a patch that looks to be the 'Hammer Cross' emblem from the film on his sleeve, an emblem featured prominently in the "In the Flesh?" and "In the Flesh" sequences of the film, which this video most strongly resembles, but this has been disproven, as it is only a large 'T' similar to the ones seen on the cheerleader's uniforms). Some fans claim that the beginning of the video is reminiscent Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues
.
The video is extremely similar to Red Flag
, by Billy Talent
, in the way the cheerleaders have gas masks on (the last scene from Billy Talent has teenagers wearing similar masks) and the way the sheer number of teenagers break free and get physically close to the band. The video is also strongly reminiscent of the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit
" by grunge rock band Nirvana
from their album entitled Nevermind
. The use of a high school
setting, the use of cheerleaders, as well as ending with the assembled students storming stage scene, have become synonymous with the 1991
Samuel Bayer
hit video.
The music video was posted by the band via their YouTube channel on May 30 and was one of the most watched videos on YouTube obtaining over 64,000,000 views. Sometime around November 1, 2007, the video passed the Famous Last Words
video as the third most played video on the site. This version of the video cut out the word "shit". The MTV version differs from the YouTube version; notably the teenagers breaking in was cut out, as well as the words "gun," "shit," and "murder". The video has debuted on Total Request Live
.
This video made its world premiere in New Zealand
. New Zealand was the first country in which The Black Parade
reached number one. Multiple pirated versions of the video surfaced on the internet
days before the American
debut.
's Guitar Hero II
game on August 15, 2007, along with "Famous Last Words
", and "This Is How I Disappear", adding to their song shipped with the game, "Dead!". It was also made available for download with full guitar, drum, bass, and vocals charts for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
.
, in the episode "Do Not Disturb". This song is also featured in an episode of "Dog The Bounty Hunter
", the 2008 film "Never Back Down
", and an episode of "LA Ink
", in which tattoo artist Kat Von D
tattoos Frank Iero. The main riff of the single was featured in the seventh episode of Dirty Sexy Money
"The Wedding". It is also included on the Saints Row 2
soundtrack.
, hard rock
and 12 bar blues. This earned them mostly positive reviews from critics. A reviewer from NME
Magazine wrote, "Some bands go out of their way to do a song with a sound they're never bound to do, then release it as a single. They usually fail. My Chemical Romance tried a substantially different sound for this song, and it paid off. The message is simple, the chorus is catchy and Ray Toro's solo joins the chorus and bridge together so smoothly." The song managed to grab 5 stars in both NME
and AbsolutePunk.net
as well as 4/5 from IMDb. This song was also featured as downloadable content on Guitar Hero II for the XBOX 360.
chart at #2, before debuting at #87 on the Hot 100
the following week as the "Hot Shot" debut of the week, and has so far peaked at #67. It has so far reached #23 on the Pop 100, and #13 on Modern Rock Tracks. It has also debuted at #42 in the UK, and has gone onto become the band's fourth straight top 20 hit from The Black Parade and their third top ten hit from the album, peaking at #9. It debuted at number 16 on the ARIA Singles Chart
.
Version 1 (promotional CD)
Version 2 (CD and 7" vinyl)
Version 3 (7" vinyl)
Version 4 (CD)
Version 5 (digital download)
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and the eleventh track
Track (CD)
On an optical disc, a track or title is a subdivision of its content. Specifically, it is a consecutive set of sectors on the disc containing a block of data. One session may contain one or more tracks of the same or different types...
from My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
's third studio album, The Black Parade
The Black Parade
The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance. Released on October 23, 2006 through Reprise Records, it was produced by Rob Cavallo, who has also produced albums for Green Day. The album is the first on which Bob Bryar plays drums. It is a rock opera centering...
. It is the third U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
single from the album, but it is the fourth single released in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This song is the band's eleventh overall single.
Background
Gerard WayGerard Way
Gerard Arthur Way is an American musician and comic book writer who has served as lead vocalist and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance since its formation in 2001...
is quoted as saying that he wrote the song after finding himself in a New York subway car full of high schoolers: "That was the first time I felt old...I was nervous and I was a target. I felt like I had become a parent figure or part of the problem."
About the relationship between the song and concerns about gun violence
Gun violence
Gun violence defined literally means the use of a firearm to threaten or inflict violence or harm. Gun violence may be broadly defined as a category of violence and crime committed with the use of a firearm; it may or may not include actions ruled as self-defense, actions for law enforcement, or...
, Way said:
This song was #25 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
The single is certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Music video
The video version of the song seems to have some added audio. During and onwards the lyrics "They say all teenagers scare the living shit out of me", there are piano notes playing in the background in the style of western musicWestern music (North America)
Western music originated as a form of American folk music. Originally composed by and about the people who settled and worked throughout the Western United States and Western Canada. Directly related musically to old English, Scottish, and Irish folk ballads, Western music celebrates the life of...
(during live performances, the piano plays along to the music even more so). The album version of the song does not have this piano playing until the coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
. Early in the video, it shows teenagers breaking in.
The video has several references to the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
version of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's The Wall
Pink Floyd The Wall (film)
Pink Floyd—The Wall is a 1982 British live-action/animated musical film directed by Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. The film is highly metaphorical and is rich in symbolic imagery and sound...
(Gerard Way is even seen wearing a patch that looks to be the 'Hammer Cross' emblem from the film on his sleeve, an emblem featured prominently in the "In the Flesh?" and "In the Flesh" sequences of the film, which this video most strongly resembles, but this has been disproven, as it is only a large 'T' similar to the ones seen on the cheerleader's uniforms). Some fans claim that the beginning of the video is reminiscent Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues
Folsom Prison Blues
"Folsom Prison Blues" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist Johnny Cash. The song combines elements from two popular folk genres, the train song and the prison song, both of which Cash would continue to use for the rest of his career...
.
The video is extremely similar to Red Flag
Red Flag (song)
"Red Flag" is the second single released from the Canadian rock group Billy Talent's second album, Billy Talent II. The single was released on September 11, 2006 in the United Kingdom....
, by Billy Talent
Billy Talent
Billy Talent is a Canadian post-hardcore band from Streetsville, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with Ben Kowalewicz as the lead vocalist, Ian D'Sa on lead guitar, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk ....
, in the way the cheerleaders have gas masks on (the last scene from Billy Talent has teenagers wearing similar masks) and the way the sheer number of teenagers break free and get physically close to the band. The video is also strongly reminiscent of the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit
Smells Like Teen Spirit
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band's second album, Nevermind , released on DGC Records...
" by grunge rock band Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
from their album entitled Nevermind
Nevermind
Nevermind is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind was the group's first release on DGC Records...
. The use of a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
setting, the use of cheerleaders, as well as ending with the assembled students storming stage scene, have become synonymous with the 1991
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
Samuel Bayer
Samuel Bayer
Samuel David Bayer is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.-Early life:Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York...
hit video.
The music video was posted by the band via their YouTube channel on May 30 and was one of the most watched videos on YouTube obtaining over 64,000,000 views. Sometime around November 1, 2007, the video passed the Famous Last Words
Famous Last Words (My Chemical Romance song)
"Famous Last Words" is a song by the American alternative rock band My Chemical Romance. It was released as the band's second single on January 22, 2007 from their third studio album, The Black Parade. It is also the band's ninth overall single...
video as the third most played video on the site. This version of the video cut out the word "shit". The MTV version differs from the YouTube version; notably the teenagers breaking in was cut out, as well as the words "gun," "shit," and "murder". The video has debuted on Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
.
This video made its world premiere in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. New Zealand was the first country in which The Black Parade
The Black Parade
The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance. Released on October 23, 2006 through Reprise Records, it was produced by Rob Cavallo, who has also produced albums for Green Day. The album is the first on which Bob Bryar plays drums. It is a rock opera centering...
reached number one. Multiple pirated versions of the video surfaced on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
days before the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
debut.
Promotion
It was made available for download for the Xbox 360Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
's Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
game on August 15, 2007, along with "Famous Last Words
Famous Last Words (My Chemical Romance song)
"Famous Last Words" is a song by the American alternative rock band My Chemical Romance. It was released as the band's second single on January 22, 2007 from their third studio album, The Black Parade. It is also the band's ninth overall single...
", and "This Is How I Disappear", adding to their song shipped with the game, "Dead!". It was also made available for download with full guitar, drum, bass, and vocals charts for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
.
Media
The video for "Teenagers" can be seen and heard on the television in one scene of the television series Bionic WomanBionic Woman
Bionic Woman may refer to:* The Bionic Woman, a television series that aired from 1976 to 1978 on ABC and NBC** Jaime Sommers , the main character* Bionic Woman , a 2007 remake of the series on NBC...
, in the episode "Do Not Disturb". This song is also featured in an episode of "Dog The Bounty Hunter
Dog the Bounty Hunter
Dog the Bounty Hunter is a reality television show on A&E which chronicles Duane "Dog" Chapman's adventures as a fugitive recovery agent, or bounty hunter...
", the 2008 film "Never Back Down
Never Back Down
Never Back Down is a 2008 action film starring Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, and Djimon Hounsou. It was theatrically released on March 14, 2008. The film's respective tagline is "Win or lose.....
", and an episode of "LA Ink
LA Ink
LA Ink is an American reality show on TLC that follows the events of the High Voltage Tattoo tattoo studios in Los Angeles, California...
", in which tattoo artist Kat Von D
Kat Von D
Katherine Drachenberg , known professionally as Kat Von D and who has given her name as Katherine von Drachenberg in two German interviews is an American tattoo artist and television personality...
tattoos Frank Iero. The main riff of the single was featured in the seventh episode of Dirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money is an American prime time drama series created by Craig Wright, which ran on the ABC from September 26, 2007 to August 8, 2009. The series was produced by ABC Studios, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Berlanti Television and Gross Entertainment...
"The Wedding". It is also included on the Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
soundtrack.
Reception
My Chemical Romance surprised many critics by the musical style of "Teenagers". It incorporates elements of pop rockPop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
, hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and 12 bar blues. This earned them mostly positive reviews from critics. A reviewer from NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
Magazine wrote, "Some bands go out of their way to do a song with a sound they're never bound to do, then release it as a single. They usually fail. My Chemical Romance tried a substantially different sound for this song, and it paid off. The message is simple, the chorus is catchy and Ray Toro's solo joins the chorus and bridge together so smoothly." The song managed to grab 5 stars in both NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
and AbsolutePunk.net
AbsolutePunk.net
AbsolutePunk is a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate . The website mainly focuses on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it has been known to feature artists who have eventually achieved crossover success, including Fall...
as well as 4/5 from IMDb. This song was also featured as downloadable content on Guitar Hero II for the XBOX 360.
Charts
The song entered the Bubbling Under Hot 100 SinglesBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart at #2, before debuting at #87 on the Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
the following week as the "Hot Shot" debut of the week, and has so far peaked at #67. It has so far reached #23 on the Pop 100, and #13 on Modern Rock Tracks. It has also debuted at #42 in the UK, and has gone onto become the band's fourth straight top 20 hit from The Black Parade and their third top ten hit from the album, peaking at #9. It debuted at number 16 on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
.
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Singles Chart |
16 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 50 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
53 |
| Czech IFPI Chart | 32 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 27 |
| German Singles Chart | 74 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
7 |
| New Zealand Top 40 Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
6 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
67 |
| US Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
23 |
| US Billboard Alternative Songs | 13 |
Track listing
- All songs written by My Chemical RomanceMy Chemical RomanceMy Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
.
Version 1 (promotional CD)
Version 2 (CD and 7" vinyl)
Version 3 (7" vinyl)
Version 4 (CD)
Version 5 (digital download)