Get Up & Go
The Teen Idles Lyrics

The Teen Idles’s song Get Up and Go is a punk rock tune that rejects traditional music education, standards and practices. The song is replete with sarcasm by rejecting a patronizing musician who pontificates about talent and theoretical knowledge. Instead, the band chooses to “Get up and go”. The phrase implies action, excitement and a preference for practical experience over theoretical knowledge. The song urges listeners to embrace their true passion and not be distracted by others’ criticism or cynicism, which the Teen Idles liken to verbal criticism. It's a call to focus on what one believes is essential, and abandon anything that hinders it.

The message of the song Get Up and Go reflects the crude, raw and unapologetic style of punk rock music, which emerged in the 1970s. The genre presented a spirited and energetic response to mainstream, homogenized pop music, which often focused on glamour and aesthetics than substance. Punk music valued authenticity and individuality and inspired a new generation of musicians and fans to shun traditional ideals and break free from the norms. In essence, Get Up and Go is a distillation of the punk rock message to resist conformity and create one's path.