Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, the group consisted of Frankie Venom (real name Frank Kerr), Gord Lewis, Steve Mahon (though he later changed his last name to Marshall) and Nick Stipanitz, and took their name from an album and song by The Flamin' Groovies.
Teenage Head came together in the early 70's when four young guys from Westdale High School in Hamilton, Ontario decided to form a band. Gord Lewis, founder and leader, Frank Kerr, Steve Mahon, and Nick Stipanitz weren't buddies, but each had a strong interest in the same type of music. By May 1978, they released their first single "Picture My Face" on Epic Records, and quickly became part of the scene exploding in Toronto. The legendary self-titled debut album followed a year later, turning the heads of many because it perfectly captured the spirit of the era. What's more, it showcased the band's talent as writers, with the ability to craft songs that would continue to stand the test of time, even by today's standards.
Somethin' Else
Teenage Head Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There she comes
Here comes that girl again
Wanted to date her since I don't know when
But she don't notice me when I pass
She goes with older guys from out of my class
But that can't stop me from-ah thinkin' to myself
She's sure fine lookin' man
Hey look-ah there
Across the street
There's a car made just for me
To own that car would be a luxury
But right now I can't afford the gas
A brand new convertible is out of my class
But that can't stop me from-ah thinkin' to myself
That car's fine lookin' man
It's somethin' else
Hey look-ah here
Just wait and see
Workin' hard and savin' my dough
I'll buy that car that I've be wanting so
Get me that girl and we'll go ridin' around
The town will be all shocked with my white top down
I'll keep right on and dreamin' and-ah thinkin' to myself
When it all comes true, man
Wow! That's somethin' else
Look-ah here
What's all this?
Never thought I'd do this before
But here I am ah-knockin' on her door
My car's out front and it's all mine
Just a '41 Ford not a '59
I got that girl and I'm-ah thinkin' to myself
She's sure fine lookin' man
Wow! She's somethin' else
The lyrics of the Teenage Head's song Somethin' Else tell the story of a young man who has been admiring a girl from afar for a while. The girl he likes goes out with older guys from a different class, but this does not stop him from dreaming of being with her. He also dreams of owning a car he believes was made for him, a luxury he cannot afford at the moment. However, the young man is determined to work hard and save his money to buy the car and impress the girl. Eventually, he manages to summon the courage to knock on her door with his old car, which he considers a piece of junk compared to the luxury cars driven by the older guys the girl has been dating. Despite his insecurities, the girl accepts him, and he realizes that she's even more somethin' else than he imagined.
The lyrics of the song perfectly capture the thoughts and dreams of young people, full of hopes and aspirations despite their lack of means. The singer feels attracted to someone he thinks is way out of his league, and he also dreams of acquiring something that would give him status but cannot afford yet. The song presents a romantic yet realistic view of life, showing that with hard work and determination, one can achieve their dreams and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The simplicity of the lyrics makes them accessible and relatable to many people, which is why Somethin' Else remains a classic until today.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh-look-ah there
I see her coming
There she comes
Here comes the girl I like
Here comes that girl again
She's coming by again
Wanted to date her since I don't know when
I've had a crush on her for as long as I can remember
But she don't notice me when I pass
She doesn't pay attention to me when I walk by
She goes with older guys from out of my class
She dates guys who are older and not in my social group
But that can't stop me from-ah thinkin' to myself
But that doesn't stop me from daydreaming
She's sure fine lookin' man
She is incredibly attractive
She's somethin' else
She has a certain je ne sais quoi
Hey look-ah there
I see something over there
Across the street
On the other side of the road
There's a car made just for me
There's a car that I would love to have
To own that car would be a luxury
It would be a real treat to own that car
But right now I can't afford the gas
But I don't have enough money for gasoline right now
A brand new convertible is out of my class
I can't afford a new convertible
That car's fine lookin' man
That car is very attractive
It's somethin' else
It's very impressive
Hey look-ah here
Now check this out
Just wait and see
You'll see what happens next
Workin' hard and savin' my dough
I'm saving my money and working hard
I'll buy that car that I've be wanting so
I'll finally be able to afford that car I've been wanting
Get me that girl and we'll go ridin' around
I'll take that girl for a ride in my car
The town will be all shocked with my white top down
People will be surprised when they see me driving with the top down
I'll keep right on and dreamin' and-ah thinkin' to myself
I'll keep on dreaming and daydreaming
When it all comes true, man
When my dreams become a reality
Wow! That's somethin' else
That'll be very impressive
Look-ah here
Check this out
What's all this?
What's happening?
Never thought I'd do this before
I never expected to do this
But here I am ah-knockin' on her door
But here I am, knocking on her door
My car's out front and it's all mine
My car is parked in front and it belongs to me
Just a '41 Ford not a '59
It's not a brand new car, just an older '41 Ford
I got that girl and I'm-ah thinkin' to myself
I got the girl I've always wanted and I'm daydreaming
She's sure fine lookin' man
She is incredibly attractive
Wow! She's somethin' else
She's really special
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Cochran, Shari K. Sheeley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tanktop
on Let's Shake
SOMEBODY
tanktop
on Take It
Frank Kerr