The band started in summer 2006 by Andrew Savage, later joined by Daniel Zeigler whom Savage met while attending the University of North Texas in Denton. The bands earlier material, from the self-released demo and "Remember Me as a Silhouette" 7", was lo-fi, poppy and often compared to early '90s indie rock. The band's first full length was Queer Salutations, released in 2007. Shortly after the release of Queer Salutations the band embarked on its first tour. The band is decidedly DIY, keeping all recording, songwriting, booking and visual art within the band. Teenage Cool Kids spent much of 2008 touring the United States and recording their next album. In 2009 the band was issued a cease and desist by Chicago hip-hop duo The Cool Kids over alleged trade mark infringement. The dispute ended with a settlement initiated by the Cool Kids. The dispute delayed the band's second LP release by several months, but in June 2009 Foreign Lands was released by Protagonist Music.
Albums:
Queer Salutations (2007, Protagonist)
Foreign Lands (2009, Protagonist)
Denton After Sunset (2011, Dull Tools)
Singles:
Remember Me As a Silhoutte (2007, C&C Music Factory)
Speaking in Tongues b/w Crucial Talk (2009, Copper Lung)
Poison Sermons (2009, Leroy St. Records)
Band members:
Andrew Savage (Fergus & Geronimo, Parquet Courts)
Bradley Kerl
Chris Pickering
Daniel Zeigler (Wiccans)
Tryna Decide
Teenage Cool Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Teenage Cool Kids's "Tryna Decide" explore the dynamic between two people, where one person feels pushed away by the other's preferred crowd or congregation. The singer in the song is not a kid anymore and is trying to make the other person understand that they want to stand in the corner they've never been in before, even though that means going against the preferred crowd. The singer assures the other person of their willingness to sing every word regarding their love and commitment, but without fighting them.
The chorus of the song ("look at this awesome town man") further emphasizes the singer's confusion about picking the right path. It seems like the other person is persistent in convincing them to join their chosen group, but they are not sure if that is indeed the best option for them.
The lyrics also reveal the inner turmoil of the singer - they are bewildered by the candid fits they get and the cries of abandonment from the other. It's an intimate and honest portrayal of a relationship where one person is trying to break free from the expectations of others while the other is struggling to cope with rejection.
Overall, "Tryna Decide" is a poignant commentary on the complexities of relationships and the difficulty of finding one's own path while navigating the expectations and pressures of others.
Line by Line Meaning
And there's a corner of you where I've never stood before the congregation you adore is pushing me away.
You have a part of yourself that you keep hidden from me because the people you love and admire are rejecting me. It's important for you to know that I am not a child anymore.
I'm not a kid no more, so understand this please: this hear to heart is a reprise, I'll sing you every word but I won't fight you
I'm not a child anymore, so listen to what I'm saying. I'm trying to communicate with you honestly and openly, but I'm not going to argue with you.
Look at this awesome town man. I'm tryna decide, I'm tryna decide.
This town is really cool, but I'm trying to make a decision about something.
You begged me to climb down. You screamed we were surrounded. 'Look at this awesome town man.'
You asked me to come down from somewhere and then said that we were in danger, but then distracted me by pointing out how great the town is.
I'm so bewildered by these candid fits I get, these cries of your abandonment that attest to your state.
I'm confused by my sudden outbursts of emotion, which show that I feel like you're abandoning me.
I'm not a kid no more, so understand this please: our faults are never guarantees, it's wrong to think that way.
I'm an adult now, so please understand that our mistakes don't define our futures. It's not helpful to believe that they do.
I won't fight you
I'm not going to argue or get aggressive with you.
Contributed by Penelope Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.