The Teen Idols were a pop punk band based in Nashville, Tennessee.

T… Read Full Bio ↴The Teen Idols were a pop punk band based in Nashville, Tennessee.

The band was formed in 1992 and quickly gained local popularity while playing at venues such as Lucy's Record Shop and receiving frequent airplay on Nashville college radio. During the mid-90s, they released several EPs under the local indie label, House O' Pain. In 1996, the Nashville Music Association nominated the band for their Independent Artist of the Year award. A year later, the Teen Idols released their first full-length album under the indie label Honest Don's Records.

They released two other albums under the Honest Don's label before signing to Fueled by Ramen in early 2003. Around that time, Keith left the band and Kevin (formerly of Detroit-based P.T.'s Revenge) took over the vocals. Shortly thereafter, the band released the album Nothing to Prove in July, 2003, but broke up during the subsequent tour. During their heyday, the Teen Idols headlined many tours in the U.S. and played support with other notable bands such as NOFX, Anti-Flag, Less Than Jake, and The Queers.

After the breakup of the Teen Idols, Heather, Matt Yonker, and Kevin joined forces with Geis and Gui from Rehasher and have toured and recorded as the band Bullets to Broadway. The band released one album, Drink Positive, and supported Lagwagon and Lawrence Arms on US legs as well as Less Than Jake on their 2006 European tour. Matt has gone on to play with The Queers, Ben Weasel, The Methadones and now owns Drastic Sounds Recording Studio in Nashville, TN. Phillip has done duty with many bands including The Queers, Screeching Weasel, and Even in Blackouts.

On December 26, 2008, the Teen Idols announced on their MySpace blog that they had decided to come out of retirement and would soon be making new records and playing shows again.

Teen Idols announced their new bassist, Jemima Kate from Ireland, and also in early 2009 announced a tentative agreement to sign with Fat Wreck Chords, but an official contract never materialized. Later that year, guitar player Phillip Hill was hospitalized with four broken ribs and a collapsed lung after trying to break up a fight. Because he lacked health insurance, an account was set up to help raise money for his medical bills. The band broke up again in June 2010.

1989
Teen Idols Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

1989 was her first all ages show
When she laid her eyes right on
This boy she had to know
But he had a girlfriend
And she was so damn mean
When he looked into her eyes
Her heart burst at the seams

She knows it's true, he's gonna forget you
And now there's nothing you can do
For now she waits outside
Cuz she knows she'll be the next in line

News of their breakup
Didn't come as quite a shock
Everybody knew it was
The tickin' of the clock
She's anticipating that he'll look to her

When he asked her out that night
Her mind was all a blur

Overall Meaning

The song 1989 by Teen Idols is about a girl who falls in love with a boy at her first all ages show, but the boy has a girlfriend who is mean to her. The girl's heart bursts at the seams when the boy looks at her, but she knows he's going to forget about her. She waits outside anticipating that she'll be the next in line after the couple's breakup. When they do break up, the girl isn't surprised because everyone knew it was bound to happen. She's hopeful that he'll turn to her after the breakup, and when he finally asks her out, she's so excited that her mind is all a blur.

The song explores the complicated feelings of teenage love and the pain that comes with unrequited love. It highlights the desperate hope of the girl that the boy will choose her after his breakup, even though she knows it might not happen. The lyrics also touch on the theme of waiting and how it can be both agonizing and full of anticipation.

Line by Line Meaning

1989 was her first all ages show
On the year 1989, she attended her first ever all-ages concert

When she laid her eyes right on
Upon seeing

This boy she had to know
She immediately felt the need to get to know this boy

But he had a girlfriend
However, she found out that he already had a girlfriend

And she was so damn mean
The girlfriend of the boy was unkind and cruel

When he looked into her eyes
As he gazed into her eyes

Her heart burst at the seams
She felt overwhelmed with emotions as her heart filled to the brim

She knows it's true, he's gonna forget you
She is aware that the boy will eventually forget about his current girlfriend

And now there's nothing you can do
She knows she can't do anything to change the boy's feelings

For now she waits outside
She patiently waits outside

Cuz she knows she'll be the next in line
She believes that she will be the next one in the boy's heart