Around 2,000 children and teenagers auditioned for the show; from these twenty were chosen as contestants. Throughout the season, this number was narrowed down to five through several rounds of voting. Like American Idol, voting was done by the show's viewers via telephone. Unlike Idol, to prevent hurt feelings, the contestants were voted into the group, as opposed to being voted off the show. Idol host Ryan Seacrest repeated this duty for most of the shows. Idol judges did not appear (other than one satellite hookup with Simon Cowell from the second season of Pop Idol); the principal Juniors judges were Gladys Knight (who also hosted when Seacrest was absent), Deborah Gibson, and Justin Guarini (American Idol (Season 1) runner-up). A number of Idol alumni, such as Ruben Studdard and Christina Christian, made guest performances.
The five contestants who remained at the end of the season were formed into a group also named the American Juniors. They were Lucy Hale, Tori Thompson, Taylor Thompson, Chauncey Matthews, and Danielle White.
American Juniors became one of the highest rated televison shows of the summer season, with approximately 11.9 million viewers on June 3, though the numbers dropped 40% toward the end of July. Nonetheless, the producers were satisfied of the strong teen demographic. A second edition had been planned for fall 2003, later postponed to the summer after American Idol (Season 3), then called off. [1]
Seeing children and young adolescents competing gave some viewers a sour taste as the show had many "stage parents" in the wings. [2]
The American Juniors made a brief appearance on the December 2003 American Idol Christmas special, An American Idol Christmas. Their debut album American Juniors was released on October 26, 2004 after a year's delay from its original scheduled date.
The American Juniors group disbanded in 2005. The members seem to be pursuing individual efforts and there is little publicity about them as a group. The show website became inactive in April 2005, but the music website remains intact as an archive. In May 2005 the Thompson sisters' website announced they were now out on their own. [3]
Radio stations that play children's music (e.g, Disney, or digital radio) still occasionally play the music of American Juniors.
abc
American Juniors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A buh-buh buh buh-buh
You went to school to learn, girl
Things you never, never knew before
Like I before E except after C
And why two plus two makes four
Now now now, I'm gonna teach you
Teach you, teach you
All about love, dear
All about love
Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me.
ABC
Easy as
one, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl!
ABC
Easy as
one, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me!
Come on, let me love you just a little bit!
Come on, let me love you just a little bit!
I'm a going to teach how to sing it out!
Michael: Come on, come on, come on
Let me show you what it's all about!
Reading, writing and arithmetic
Are the branches of the learning tree
But without the roots of love every day, girl
Your education ain't complete
T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you
Show you, show you
How to get an A!
Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!
Spell "me" "you"
Add the two!
Listen to me baby, that's all you gotta do!
ABC
Easy as
one, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl!
ABC
Easy as
one, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me!
Sit down, girl!
I think I love you!
No!
Get up, girl!
Show me what you can do!
Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now!
Shake it, shake it, baby, ooo oooh!
Shake it shake it, baby, huh!
one, two, three, baby, oo ooo!
ABC, baby, nah nah!
Do re mi, baby, huh!
That's how easy love can be.
ABC
ABC, it's easy
Easy as one, two, three
It's like counting up to three
Or simple as Do re mi
Sing a simple melody
That's how easy love can be!
Easy as one, two, three
It's like counting up to three
Or simple as Do re mi
Sing a simple melody
That's how easy love can be!
The song "ABC" by American Juniors talks about love and how it can be as easy as learning the basics in school. The opening lines are a catchy "Buh-buh buh buh-buh" melody that sets the upbeat tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics highlight the importance of education and how learning basic things like spelling "me" and "you" and adding them together can be just as easy as singing the ABC song.
The chorus revolves around the idea that love is as simple as counting up to three or singing a simple melody like Do re mi. The catchy chorus and upbeat melody make for an excellent dance song that is easy to sing along to. The bridge shifts the focus from education to love by stating that without love, education is incomplete. The song then concludes with the idea that love is easy and as simple as singing the ABCs.
Overall, "ABC" is a song that highlights the importance of education while juxtaposing it with the simplicity of love. The use of the ABCs as a metaphor for love makes for a catchy tune that is sure to stick in any listener's head.
Line by Line Meaning
A buh-buh buh buh-buh
The beginning of the song, and not meant to be taken too seriously in terms of lyrical content.
You went to school to learn, girl
The singer is addressing a girl who has gone to school to learn.
Things you never, never knew before
The girl has learned things that she never knew before.
Like I before E except after C
One of the things the girl learned was a spelling rule: 'I before E except after C.'
And why two plus two makes four
Another thing the girl learned was basic arithmetic. Specifically, she learned why two plus two equals four.
Now now now, I'm gonna teach you
The singer is now going to teach the girl something else.
Teach you, teach you
The singer is emphasizing his intention to teach the girl.
All about love, dear
The topic the singer intends to teach the girl is love.
Sit yourself down, take a seat
The singer instructs the girl to sit down and prepare to learn.
All you gotta do is repeat after me.
The girl only needs to follow the singer's lead to learn about love.
ABC
The fundamental building blocks of love.
Easy as one, two, three
Love can be simple and easy, like counting up to three.
Or simple as Do re mi
Another example of something simple that can represent love is a simple melody.
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl!
Repetition of the lesson: ABC represents the basic building blocks of love and it's easy as one, two, three. The singer speaks the words to the girl and she repeats after him.
Come on, let me love you just a little bit!
The singer wants to express his love to the girl.
I'm a going to teach how to sing it out!
The singer is confident in his ability to teach the girl about love and wants her to express herself, likely through singing.
Reading, writing and arithmetic
The things learned in school are referred to as the branches of the learning tree.
Are the branches of the learning tree
This line emphasizes that learning requires a strong foundation.
But without the roots of love every day, girl
The singer asserts that love is the foundation upon which education is built.
Your education ain't complete
Without love as a foundation, education is incomplete.
T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you
The singer is ready to teach the girl again, using a catchy phrase to emphasize his role as a teacher.
Show you, show you
The singer is eager to teach and emphasizes the point by repeating himself.
How to get an A!
The singer will teach the girl how to succeed in school by achieving high grades (an A).
Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!
The singer taunts the girl in a playful manner (not meant to be taken seriously).
Spell 'me' 'you'
The singer gives the girl an exercise to spell one word from another.
Add the two!
The singer provides the girl with an addition problem.
Listen to me baby, that's all you gotta do!
The singer emphasizes how easy it is to learn from him.
Sit down, girl!
The teacher is taking control and instructing the girl to sit down to learn another lesson.
I think I love you!
The singer confides that he may be falling in love with the girl.
No!
The girl rebuffs the teacher's advances.
Get up, girl!
The teacher insists that the girl get up and engage with him.
Show me what you can do!
The teacher wants to see what the girl can do, and is likely still thinking about love.
Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now!
The singer wants the girl to dance and express herself physically.
ABC, baby, nah nah!
The singer has taught the girl the basics of love.
Do re mi, baby, huh!
The singer has taught the girl how to sing a simple melody.
That's how easy love can be.
The singer has taught the girl how easy it is to learn about love and express it through song and dance.
ABC, it's easy
Repeat of the lesson that ABC represents the basic building blocks of love.
Easy as one, two, three
Love can be simple, just as counting up to three is simple.
Or simple as Do re mi
Another example of something simple that represents love: a simple melody.
Sing a simple melody
The singer recommends a particular means of expressing love: through song, and specifically, through a simple melody.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: QUINCY JEFFERSON, OLIVER KARAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind