So my first impression of the song was indeed that of “generic teenage energy crystalised perfectly,” albeit a bit sardonically so.

“TK” always seemed to me to be rather deriviative of T.Rex (well, Bolan at least). In the p**k discussions which are emerging on Popular now, some state p**k was a logical follow-on from glam-rock, i.e. a development rather than a new phenomenon, and this song (while not overly p**k, rather part of the acceptable face of p**k) illustrates that theory well. (I believe the Undertones acknowledged this, and even included a little bit of “Solid Gold Easy Action” on one of their early B-Sides. They also did a pretty good Glitter Band pastiche on “Hard Luck” on their second album.)

I’ve no idea why Peel had such a “safe” fave ditty; the idea always seemed a little odd to me.

In response to another point - perhaps Mike Read’s connection to “Unilaterally Censored by Spoiler Bunny” is almost as universally known and referenced.

Or a teenage wanker, eh?

While I’m aware of a willingness amongst “media folk” to laud Teenage Kicks, I’m not aware of any push to describe it as a big smash hit. Can you give an example of this?

so in both cases they were a portal to some, but to others more like a kind of indicator of openmindedness never actually acted on (?)

is teenage kicks at all known outside the UK? (koganbot’s response suggests possibly not)

I wonder if there’s any song in history as closely associated with an individual that didn’t write or perform said song, as ‘Teenage Kicks’ is with Sir John of Peel?

What’s so great about it? I don’t really know. I love that intro, it’s joyous without being overly jaunty. And the lyrics, whilst simple, just resonate with meaning. Which of us can honestly say that we were never a teenage dreamer?

(my schoolboy solution back then, and I’m sure many here could say the same, was to compile my OWN weekly charts which were righteous and true (MY truth), totally biased and ruthless and inclusive and generous, until the actual charts started to resemble my charts and there was therefore no further need)

Some might view this as an eventual victory - i.e. “our” story turned out to be the correct one, not DLT’s or the BMRB’s - but this in turn creates an oppressive layer which keeps “today” out. I think that this week’s Scooter triumph may represent a potential turning point for private universes miraculously all coming up with the same answer because it would be nice to have some new history instead of Jeremy Vine telling us that there’ll never be another Teenage Kicks just as in ‘78 JY reckoned there’d never be another I Want To Hold Your Hand.

a reason why there’s often a sense of injustice about hits-that-weren’t is that they amass their supprot and affection across time (fancy word: diachronically) rather than in the necessary instant (synchronically)

bcz there’s obviously a “stands the test of time” element to diachronic fandom, it gets bumped up as a counter to the (allegedly) travesty of the synchronic hit (er also known as the “hit”)

but what’s actually usually valuable about diachronic hits (also known as “number 77 without a bullet”) is that they’ve evidently gathered to themselves some kind of a “test of space” to pass, where the value accrues as a result of the social context you bring to the situation

surely ‘Crazy Horses’ must’ve come close

And he’d “broken” a lot of punk stuff before Teenage Kicks.