1) In a gust of pheromo… Read Full Bio ↴There are three groups called The Teenagers:
1) In a gust of pheromones and with a warm purr of guitars arrives the saviour of French indie pop, The Teenagers. 2008 has seen few Europeans garner more fevered hype than these three Parisian dreamboats, proving once and for all that style and substance needn’t be mutually exclusive. At a time when far too many seemed to be sat waiting for the next novelty bandwagon to jump onboard, this trio of hipper-than-thou ne’r-do-wells have reignited the imaginations of clued-up music lovers across the globe with a curve ball of pervy wit, classic synth-work, and sunshine strumming. Together vocalist Quentin Dalafon, guitarist/synth man Dorian Dumont and bassist Michael Szpinner, have created a daydream world of enchanting melodies and engrossing narratives, as life-affirming as they are insatiably hormonal, and of course all delivered with that trademark audaciously sharp Parisian attitude. Their invitation to either celebrate or recapture one’s youth has proved a hard one to turn down, with a hysterical fanbase growing by the second. And now on the eve of the release of their debut long-player, they stride from underground chic into the mainstream limelight, as one of the world’s most enticing and individual new musical sensations.
Fittingly the bond between the three twenty-somethings was formed in the midst of their teenage years, when childhood pals Michael and Dorian stumbled across Quentin, one of their high school’s true eccentrics. Together, like many kids in Nineties inner city Paris, they fawned over the import of American trash TV, revelling in the sickly-sweet coming-of-age melodrama of shows like Beverly Hills 90210, something that would stay with them. Growing-up together musically, trading mixtapes, they developed a rich tapestry of influences, from national hero Jaques Le Cont and his one-time collaborator Madonna, to classic Nineties rock like Weezer and Nirvana, and further afield to the metal cry of Slayer and Dillinger Escape Plan. Although both Dorian and Michael had spent their teens in and out of bands (Dorian trying his hand at pop and electronica, Michael doing the rounds on their local hardcore punk scene), it wasn’t until one boozy Christmas evening in 2005 that they finally decided to put their creative heads together. The result was 'Fuck Nicole' which prompted the boys to officially form The Teenagers and start a Myspace page. It wasn’t long before their unmistakable sound emerged, with tracks like 'Homecoming' and 'Starlett Johansson' rapidly causing a stir online. These tasters showcased Quentin’s sardonic, often spoken word delivery, and deliciously sleazy lyrics, against a sublime backdrop of woozy synthesisers, simple drum machines and fluttering, twee guitars. A familiar Noughties success story followed – insane online attention gave way to a record industry cat-fight – with label du-jour Merok/XL (having launched the careers of Klaxons and Crystal Castles) winning through in the end.
2007 beckoned with a slew of releases in the pipeline. First up was the group’s X-rated rallying cry, 'Homecoming', already an anthem in some circles by the time it hit shop shelves. The release was complimented by the couldn’t-be-more-perfect promo video by acclaimed director Kinga Burza (Kate Nash etc), nailing the track’s playful, saucy mood with startling poignance. Starlett Johansson – a heart-felt, and typically droll ode to their favourite Hollywood starlet - followed later in the year, coinciding with the group’s first full-scale tour, joining fellow trendsetters Crystal Castles and These New Puritans on Vice Magazine’s show-stopping Unitaur. The massive increase of commitments meant that Dorian and Michael were to join Quentin in the London.
From there they’d meet long-term collaborator Lexxx in the studio to ready their first album 'Reality Check'. The precursor singles are joined by huge new tracks like 'Love No', 'Feeling Better' and others. While the band’s components aren’t dissimilar too many an act of the moment, their implementation is unparalleled. Their candid commentary, both emotional and sincere and ferociously cutting, has resonated in a way that’s neither nostalgic or trendy, but timeless. Their press coverage, having ticked all the major music and style titles off within the release of their first single, has seen the buzz ripple out to tabloid newspapers, surely just a taster of the mainstream acceptance soon to follow.
2)The Teenagers are an American integrated doo wop group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead singer, is also noted for being rock's first all-teenaged act.
The Teenagers had their origins in The Earth Angels, a group founded at Edward W. Stitt Junior High School in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan by second tenor Jimmy Merchant and bass Sherman Garnes. Eventually, Garnes and Merchant had added lead singer Herman Santiago and baritone Joe Negroni to their lineup and evolved into The Coupe De Villes. In 1955, twelve-year-old Frankie Lymon joined the Coupe De Villes, who changed their name to first the Ermines and later The Premiers.
The same year Lymon joined the group, he helped Santiago and Merchant rewrite a song they'd composed to create "Why Do Fools Fall In Love". The song got the Teenagers an audition with George Goldner's Gee Records, but Santiago was too sick to sing lead on the day of the audition. Lymon sung the lead on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" instead, and the group was signed to Gee as The Teenagers, with Lymon as lead singer.
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" was The Teenagers first and biggest hit. The group, known for both their harmony and choreography, also had hits with "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" and "The ABCs of Love".
By 1957, the group was being billed as "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers". This caused in-fighting, and by September Goldner had pulled Lymon out of the group to record solo. The Teenagers continued recording, bringing in new lead Billy Lobrano. Lobrano, as the group's first white member, made them even more racially mixed, now with two black, two Hispanic, and one white member. The group had little success with Lobrano, and he left in mid-1958.
Merchant, Santiago, Garnes, and Negroni continued as a quartet, but were not able to find success in any new recordings. They tried a quintet lineup again in 1960, first with new lead Howard Kenny Bobo, then with another lead, Johnny Houston, but to no avail. They continued mainly as an "oldies circuit" group from this point on. By 1973, the Teenagers had resorted to using a female singer to imitate Lymon's prepubescent voice; the last of their female lead singers was Pearl McKinnon.
Sherman Garnes died of a heart attack in 1977, while Joe Negroni died a year later due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Their replacements were Bobby Jay and Frankie's brother Lewis Lymon, respectively. By the 1980s the group had settled on a new lead, Jimmy Castor. Castor remained lead until the 1990s, when he was replaced by Timothy Wilson, former lead of Tiny Tim and the Hits. This lineup appeared on the PBS special, Doo Wop 51, in 2000.
Lewis Lymon left to join Beary Hobbs' Drifters around 2003. He was replaced by Dickie Harmon. Jimmy Merchant retired shortly thereafter, and the group continued as a quartet. The group's current lineup is Herman Santiago, Bobby Jay, Timothy Wilson, and Dickie Harmon. They are often billed as "Frankie Lymon's Legendary Teenagers". This lineup appeared on the PBS special, My Music: Doo Wop Love Songs, in 2007.
In late 2008 Bobby Jay and Dickie Harmon both left the group. Jimmy Merchant has come out of retirement and returned to the Teenager's current line-up.
3) A punk rock duo from Jersey City featuring Ryan Larsen of The H-Bombs and Dead Tired, and Peter Murphy
4) A generic group of performers from the musical Bye Bye Birdie
Starlett Johansson
The Teenagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Half Polish, half Danish
You started at eight on Broadway
You're a star
You don't believe in monogamy
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
All you've got, you can like it
You whisper at horses' ears
I always find it exciting
I'm scared by spiders too
I never managed to blame you
I'll sell my mum to be lost with you
Lost in Tokyo or anywhere else
I wish I'd been invited
At your party in Disneyland
You don't believe in monogamy
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
All you've got, you can like it
But what I am, you will love it
You don't believe in monogamy
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
All you've got, you can like it
But what I am, you will love it
Oh when I noticed for Jared Leto
I felt sad for 30 seconds
Oh when I noticed for Josh Hartnett
I prayed for 40 nights
You don't believe in monogamy
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
All you've got, you can like it
But what I am, you will love it
You don't believe in monogamy
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
All you've got, you can like it
But what I am, you will love it
The Teenagers’ song “Starlett Johansson” is a humorous and satirical take on the obsession and infatuation with celebrities, specifically with actress Scarlett Johansson. The song is full of witty lines and references to Johansson's life and career. The opening lines describe Johansson's birth year, heritage, and early career on Broadway. The lyrics then go on to suggest that Johansson does not believe in monogamy, creating a fantasy marriage proposal. The band proclaims that they will be happy with whatever Johansson has to offer, and that she will love them for who they are.
The other verses are full of random thoughts about Johansson, including her conversations with horses, the lead singer's fear of spiders, and his willingness to sell his mum to be with her. The chorus repeats the theme of Johansson's alleged aversion to monogamy and the lead singer's desire to marry her. The verses also feature throwaway lines about the band members’ reactions to Johansson’s past relationships with actors Jared Leto and Josh Hartnett.
The song plays on our societal obsession with celebrity culture and our tendency to elevate famous people to a pedestal. Through humor and satire, The Teenagers poke fun at our fantasies about celebrities and expose our obsession with a particular person's public persona.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you're born in '84
The singer knows Scarlett Johansson's birth year is 1984.
Half Polish, half Danish
Scarlett Johansson's ethnicity is half Polish and half Danish.
You started at eight on Broadway
Scarlett Johansson began acting on Broadway at the age of eight.
You're a star
Scarlett Johansson is a famous and successful actress.
You don't believe in monogamy
Scarlett Johansson does not believe in having one romantic partner at a time.
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
Despite Scarlett's beliefs, the singer is still interested in marrying her and is not jealous of her other partners.
All you've got, you can like it
Whatever Scarlett chooses to do or have, the singer will accept and like it.
But what I am, you will love it
The singer believes that Scarlett will love him for who he is.
You whisper at horses' ears
Scarlett has a quirky or interesting habit of whispering to horses.
I always find it exciting
The singer finds Scarlett's habit of whispering to horses to be exciting or interesting.
I'm scared by spiders too
The singer is also afraid of spiders.
I never managed to blame you
Despite sharing the same fear, the singer cannot blame Scarlett for it.
I'll sell my mum to be lost with you
The singer would do anything to be with Scarlett, even if it means making a drastic sacrifice like selling their own mother.
Lost in Tokyo or anywhere else
The singer would be happy to get lost with Scarlett in any location, including Tokyo.
I wish I'd been invited
The singer wishes they had been invited to Scarlett's party in Disneyland.
Oh when I noticed for Jared Leto / I felt sad for 30 seconds / Oh when I noticed for Josh Hartnett / I prayed for 40 nights
The singer experienced different emotions when they found out Scarlett had previous romantic relationships with Jared Leto and Josh Hartnett. They felt sad for a short period of time with Leto, but prayed for a longer time with Hartnett.
You don't believe in monogamy
Reiteration of Scarlett's belief that one should not have only one romantic partner at a time.
I'm not jealous, Scarlett will you marry me
Reiteration of the singer's interest in marrying Scarlett despite their different beliefs about monogamy.
All you've got, you can like it
Reiteration that the singer will accept and like everything that Scarlett chooses to do or have.
But what I am, you will love it
Reiteration that the singer believes Scarlett will love him for who he is.
Contributed by Thomas R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ᴘᴀᴘᴀ𐰛ᴀᥫ᭡
I'm sad this band isn't active anymore, their sound is so catchy
Hello Kitty Official
I love this band. Even tho they’re not active anymore I’m grateful that I can still enjoy their music :) also if anyone has any recs for similar music pls lmk!
Maurice Koks J
Pulp and drycleaning
andola jackson
one of my favorite ironic songs of all time, and bands.
kicksexoutthevan
thank you teenagers your music always puts me in a good mood. from America with love
Thotism Speaks
Scarlett Johansson is timeless.
SimonSayzMusic
5 years gone by and still diggin this. - Im scared by spiders too (whats not to love?!)
Matthew Stevens
i bet scarlett got chills down her spine when she saw this
Gabo Zuniga
2017 and still good!!
TakeApart
This song makes me LOL so much. I love it!