Produced by Saint E… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs & Sarah Cracknell
Produced by Saint Etienne & Ian Catt
Released June 2005 on Tales from Turnpike House
Notes Backing vocal arrangement by Tony Rivers & Anthony Rivers.
Teenage Winter
Saint Etienne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pedal bin, washing up rack, Santex
She goes to the bakers to buy a loaf
Ah, she keeps forgetting it's changed into the Tropicana Tanning Salon
And in the charity shop
Mrs Brown sits at the counter pricing down some old stock
The Moon's A Balloon, two copies of Every Loser Wins, Noel's Blobbyland Deluxe Edition
"Something to do with eBay", Johnny reckons
He's bidding on it now for a Subbuteo catalog '81-'82
He'll win it, put it in a draw, and forget he ever bought it
Holding on to something
And not knowing exactly what you're waiting for
Teenage winter coming down
Teenage winter throws a gown
Over every place I've been
And every little dream
Forever
The phone rings in Gary's flat:
"Can I speak to Mr G. Staid, please?"
He hangs up and takes Tony the milk
"See you in the Hat And Fan at seven"
Gary can't believe the Claremont Road pitch is going to be covered in executive housing
He talks about the Newcastle game, Boncho's debut
But Tony can hardly hear him
They took the jukebox out, and the Aussie bar staff are playing the Red Hot Chili Peppers
He tells them what he thinks
Manages to keep it clean
Buys another round
Holding on to something
And not knowing exactly what you're waiting for
Mums with pushchairs outside Sainsburys
Tears in their eyes
They'll never buy a Gibb Brothers record again
Their old 45s gathering dust
The birthday cards they couldn't face throwing away
Teenage winter coming down
Teenage winter coming down
The lyrics to Saint Etienne's "Teenage Winter" paint a picture of a bleak and mundane winter day in suburbia. The song describes various characters going about their daily routines: Amy is running errands, Mrs Brown is working in a charity shop, Gary is talking with his friend Tony about football and changes in their neighbourhood. The lyrics are inflected with nostalgia and a sense of loss, as the characters reminisce about things that no longer exist or are changing too fast around them. The chorus, which repeats "Teenage winter coming down / Teenage winter throws a gown / Over every place I've been / And every little dream / Forever", suggests that this mood of sadness and disillusionment is not just temporary, but a pervasive feeling that will stay with them for a long time.
One possible interpretation of the song is that it is about the end of an era, or the end of youth. The title, "Teenage Winter", may refer to a time of life when everything feels more intense and meaningful, but also more uncertain and precarious. The winter metaphor emphasizes the sense of isolation, darkness, and hibernation that can come with this season of life. The characters in the song seem to be struggling to cope with changes they cannot control: the loss of familiar shops and pubs, the gentrification of their neighbourhood, the decline of certain cultural artifacts. They hold on to small rituals, like buying a loaf of bread or a pint of milk, as if they were talismans to ward off these changes. However, the lyrics also suggest that these rituals are becoming harder to sustain, that the sense of connection and meaning they used to provide is slipping away.
Line by Line Meaning
Amy checks the shopping list
Amy is making a list of essential items which includes a bin, washing up rack, and Santex.
She goes to the bakers to buy a loaf
Amy visits the baker's shop to buy a loaf of bread.
Ah, she keeps forgetting it's changed into the Tropicana Tanning Salon
Amy forgets that the bakery where she used to buy bread has now been transformed into a tanning salon named 'Tropicana'.
And in the charity shop
The next line describes what Mrs. Brown is doing in the charity shop.
Mrs Brown sits at the counter pricing down some old stock
Mrs. Brown is sitting at the counter labeling items with price tags at the charity shop.
The Moon's A Balloon, two copies of Every Loser Wins, Noel's Blobbyland Deluxe Edition
Mrs. Brown has some old stock which includes one book titled 'The Moon's a Balloon', two copies of a song named 'Every Loser Wins', and a deluxe version of Noel's Blobbyland.
There's not much left on the doorstep recently
There has not been a lot of items left on the doorstep recently for Mrs. Brown to price down.
"Something to do with eBay", Johnny reckons
According to Johnny, there could be a reason that not many items are being donated such as people are selling them on eBay.
He's bidding on it now for a Subbuteo catalog '81-'82
Johnny is currently bidding for a Subbuteo catalog from 1981-1982 on eBay.
He'll win it, put it in a draw, and forget he ever bought it
If Johnny wins the auction, he will keep the catalog in his drawer and forget about it over time.
Holding on to something
The next lines describe the feeling of holding onto something without knowing why.
And not knowing exactly what you're waiting for
There is a sense of uncertainty about what one is waiting for.
Teenage winter coming down
Winter is arriving, and it symbolizes the concept of becoming more mature and grown-up.
Teenage winter throws a gown
Winter spreads and covers everything like a gown or a blanket.
Over every place I've been
The winter season affects every place that the singer has ever been to.
And every little dream
The season also affects every small dream that the artist once had.
Forever
These changes seem permanent, and there is no going back.
The phone rings in Gary's flat:
The following lines describe a conversation between Gary and someone on the phone.
"Can I speak to Mr. G. Staid, please?"
The person on the phone is looking for Mr. G. Staid.
He hangs up and takes Tony the milk
After hanging up the phone, Gary takes a carton of milk to Tony.
"See you in the Hat and Fan at seven"
Tony invites Gary to meet him at the Hat and Fan at 7 o'clock.
Gary can't believe the Claremont Road pitch is going to be covered in executive housing
Gary is surprised and disappointed that the Claremont Road pitch will be covered with executive housing.
He talks about the Newcastle game, Boncho's debut
Gary discusses the Newcastle game and Boncho's debut with Tony.
But Tony can hardly hear him
Tony is struggling to hear what Gary is saying because the bar staff is playing music.
They took the jukebox out, and the Aussie bar staff are playing the Red Hot Chili Peppers
The bar staff has removed the jukebox, and they are now playing the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
He tells them what he thinks
Gary expresses his opinion to the bar staff regarding their choice of music.
Manages to keep it clean
Gary is able to express his opinion politely and without using any curse words.
Buys another round
Gary buys another set of drinks for Tony and himself.
Mums with pushchairs outside Sainsburys
The following lines describe what mothers with pushchairs are doing.
Tears in their eyes
The mothers have tears in their eyes for some reason.
They'll never buy a Gibb Brothers record again
The mothers state that they will never purchase a Gibb Brothers record in the future.
Their old 45s gathering dust
The mothers' old 45 records are collecting dust since they do not want to listen to them anymore.
The birthday cards they couldn't face throwing away
The mothers have kept certain birthday cards even though they may not hold any sentimental value.
Teenage winter coming down
Winter is coming, and it symbolizes the concept of growing up and moving on.
Teenage winter coming down
The cycle of seasons, including winter, is eternal and will always come back again.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB STANLEY, PETER STEWART WIGGS, SARAH CRACKNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind