This one… hmmm. Ok, I loooove this song, but there were apparently a few places where I had miss-heard what they were actually singing (hey, it happens), which led to a bit of a conundrum. Written and sung by early 20-somethings, a tune about dating ‘a younger girl’ wasn’t a big deal… but when I really dug into the lyrics it became increasingly apparent that I was either going to have to re-lyric or scrap the idea. There are some things a guy my age just doesn’t sing about. Feel free to look up the original lyrics if you want to see what I mean – though in a couple places online the bridge is almost completely wrong.
So now it’s a bit of an ethical question – is it cool to re-lyric someone else’s tune (even one 40 years old) to make it work better for you? I’m actually not sure of the answer, but as I said above, I really dig this tune, and the dual guitar solo has always been a favorite of mine, so what the heck. Here’s my version, tweaked in meaning towards trying to connect with someone who you discover acts waaaay too young for their age.
Teenarama – 1979, The Records
written by Will Birch / John Richard Wicks
I wanted a holiday
You sure had a lot
To say every night
I wanted another girl
To show me a world
Outta sight
But Co-co-co-cola
Is all you ever drink
The way you smile
The way you think
Teenarama
Is what you’re givin’ me
(What you’re givin’ me)
Teenarama
Reflections I can’t see
(reflections I can’t see)
Teenarama
All that melodrama
Gimme gimme gimme gimme
Gimme gimme
Teenarama
I wanted a change of style
Didn’t think I’d miss by a mile
Such a tease
I rented an apartment
So you went and lost the key
Sugar candy
Is all you ever need
Like a book
That I can’t read
Teenarama
Is what you’re givin’ me
(What you’re givin’ me)
Teenarama
Reactions I can’t see
(action I can’t see)
Teenarama
All that melodrama
Gimme gimme gimme gimme
Gimme gimme
Teenarama
Monday
Always
I wait
Weeks late
Dirty star
First bar
Wrecked car
Too far
Ahhhh
Co-co-co-cola
Is all you ever drink
The way you smile
The way you think
Teenarama
Is what you’re givin’ me
(What you’re givin’ me)
Teenarama
Reflections I can’t see
(reflections I can’t see)
Teenarama
All that melodrama
Gimme gimme gimme gimme
Gimme gimme
Teenarama