Teenage Kicks | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: D | D5 C#5 C5 | Bm | B5 C5 C#5 :||
Verse 1
| D | D5 C#5 C5 |
Are teenage dreams so hard to beat?
| Bm | B5 C5 C#5 |
Every time she walks down the street.
| D | D5 C#5 C5 |
Another girl in the neighbourhood.
| Bm | B5 A5 G#5 |
Wish she was mine, she looks so good.
Chorus 1
| G | G5 G#5 |
I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight.
| A | A |
Get teenage kicks right through the night.
Verse 2
I’m gonna call her on the telephone.
Have her over ’cause I’m all alone.
I need excitement oh I need it bad.
And it’s the best, I’ve ever had.
Chorus 2
I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight.
Get teenage kicks right through the night, all right.
Instrumental
| D | D (Dsus4) | Bsus4 | Bsus4 (Bm) |
| D | D (Dsus4) | Bsus4 | Bsus4 C5 C#5 |
Verse 3
Are teenage dreams so hard to beat?
Every time she walks down the street.
Another girl in the neighbourhood.
Wish she was mine, she looks so good.
Chorus 3
I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight.
Get teenage kicks right through the night.
Verse 4
I’m gonna call her on the telephone.
Have her over ’cause I’m all alone.
I need excitement oh I need it bad.
And it’s the best, I’ve ever had.
Chorus 4
I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight.
Get teenage kicks right through the night, all right.
Solo (as verse)
| D | D5 C#5 C5 | Bm | B5 C5 C#5 |
| D | D5 C#5 C5 | Bm | B5 A5 G#5 |
Chorus 5
| G | G5 G#5 |
I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight.
| A | A (Asus4) | D G | G A5 C#5 D |
Get teenage kicks right through the night, all right.
Teenage Kicks Chords: How The Undertones Crafted a Timeless Punk Anthem
In the key of D, Teenage Kicks by The Undertones revolves around the four strongest chords: I, VI, IV, and V, which are D, Bm, G, and A.
These chords are often played as triads, power chords, or 5 chords. Refer to the chords and lyrics above for guidance on how to play them.
The intro connects chords I and VI using chromatic approach power chords, like this:
||: D (I) | D5 C#5 (VII) C5 (bVIIx) |
| Bm (VI) | B5 C5 C#5 :||
The verse follows the same progression as the intro, but with a slight variation at the end, where it descends instead of ascending, like this:
| Bm (VI) | B5 A5 (V) Ab5 (bV) |
The chorus introduces power chords and chromatic movement, resolving to a full triad on the final chord:
| G (IV) | G5 G#5 (#IV) | A (V) | A |
The instrumental section adds sus4 chords, creating a bit of tension:
| D (I) | D (Dsus4) | Bsus4 (VI) | Bsus4 (Bm) |
| D | D (Dsus4) | Bsus4 | Bsus4 C5 C#5 |
The solo is similar to the verse, while the final section evokes Twist & Shout with the following progression:
| D G | G A5 C#5 D |
Here’s a chord chart for reference.
Teenage Kicks Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
You can download my chord chart as a PDF or in the iReal Pro format:
Teenage Kicks: The Song That Won John Peel’s Heart
In 1979, when punk and new wave dominated the U.K. music scene, Northern Irish band The Undertones made a significant impression. After sending a demo to BBC DJ John Peel, the excited DJ not only paid for their first recording but also helped launch their career when their debut single, Teenage Kicks, was picked up by local label Good Vibrations.
Peel was so captivated by the song that he played it religiously on air, sometimes even twice in one show, declaring, “It doesn’t get much better than this!”
Peel’s love for the track was so strong that he famously requested part of the lyrics to be etched on his gravestone. In 2001, he even made a documentary, Teenage Kicks: The Undertones, where he travelled to Derry, the band’s hometown.
Get the full story here: The Undertones tunes.
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