Busted are a pop rock / power pop band originating from London, England tha… Read Full Bio ↴Busted are a pop rock / power pop band originating from London, England that consists of James Bourne, Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson. Though originally short-lived, the band's success has helped all three musicians develop successful solo careers. Busted's debut single, "What I Go To School For", was released on 16 September 2002, and it charted at #3 in the UK as well as in the top 40 in other nations such as Ireland and Germany. As momentum for the group built, their debut album, titled simply 'Busted', followed on 30 September 2002.

Inspired by a real-life crush, the song "What I Go To School For" resulted in a popular music video starring supermodel Lorna Roberts. The parent album, charting at #2 in the UK, received middling critical reviews but became such a commercial success that it was multi-platinum certified by the RIAA. Charting placements in nations such as Austria, Ireland, and Japan spread word of the band, with their sound being compared to American pop punk acts such as Green Day and Sum 41.

November 2003 saw the release of Busted's second album, titled 'A Present For Everyone'. That album also charted at #2 in the UK. A live album, called 'A Ticket For Everyone', was released in November 2004, with the group facing inter-member tension.

The band split in January 2005 after Charlie decided to focus on his rock band Fightstar. Matt went on to release a solo album and has since become a television presenter with his wife. James founded the short-lived band Son Of Dork before focusing on songwriting.

The band reformed in 2013 without Charlie to make a supergroup with McFly to create McBusted

Busted annouced on 10 November 2015 that they are to reform as a trio, including Charlie, ten years after the band originally called it quits.

Teenage Kicks
Busted Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Are teenage dreams so hard to beat?
Everytime she walks down the street
Another girl in the neighbourhood
Wish she was mine, she looks so good

I want to hold you, want to hold you tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night
come on

I'm gonna call her on the telephone
and have her over 'cause I'm all alone
I need excitement and I need it bad
cause it's the best I've ever had

I want to hold you, want to hold you tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night
come on

Are teenage dreams so hard to beat?
Everytime she walks down the street
Another girl in the neighbourhood
Wish she was mine, she looks so good

I want to hold you, want to hold you tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night
come on

I'm gonna call her on the telephone
and have her over 'cause I'm all alone
I need excitement and I need it bad
cause it's the best I've ever had

I want to hold you, want to hold you tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night
alright

I want to hold you, want to hold you tight
Get those teenage kicks right through the night yeh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Busted's "Teenage Kicks" are a nostalgic and wistful reflection on the experiences of youth, particularly the intense emotions and desires that come with being a teenager. The first stanza sets the scene with the singer observing a girl in his neighbourhood who he wishes was his, capturing the longing and infatuation that so often characterises teenage crushes. The chorus expresses the singer's desire for excitement and intense experiences, which he thinks he can find through his infatuation with this girl. The second stanza sees the singer making a decision to reach out to the girl and invite her over, again highlighting his eagerness for excitement and adventure. Overall, the song captures the passion and intensity of teenage life, and the way that even small experiences can feel monumental when you're young and navigating the world for the first time.

Line by Line Meaning

Are teenage dreams so hard to beat?
Are the aspirations of teenagers really that difficult to surpass?

Everytime she walks down the street
Every time she strolls along the road

Another girl in the neighbourhood
That girl who lives nearby

Wish she was mine, she looks so good
I wish I were her partner, she is so appealing

I want to hold you, want to hold you tight
I yearn to embrace you, embrace you tightly

Get teenage kicks right through the night
Feel the exuberance of youth the whole night through

come on
Let's go

I'm gonna call her on the telephone
I'm planning to ring her up

and have her over 'cause I'm all alone
and invite her over since I am alone

I need excitement and I need it bad
I crave for stimulation and I desperately need it

cause it's the best I've ever had
Because this is the greatest thing I have ever experienced