I'm Going To Be A Teenage Idol

Album: Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
Play Video
  • Well, there's slim times when my words won't rhyme
    And the hills I face are a long hard climb
    I just sit cross legged with my old guitar
    Ooh, it kind of makes me feel like a rock and roll star

    Well, it makes me laugh Lord it makes me cry
    And I think for once, let me just get high
    Let me get electric put a silk suit on
    Turn my old guitar into a tommy gun

    And root-toot-shoot myself to fame
    Every kid alive gonna know my name
    An overnight phenomenon like there's never been
    A motivated supersonic king of the scene

    I'll be a teenage idol, just give me a break
    I'm gonna be a teenage idol no matter how long it takes
    You can't imagine what it means to me
    I'm gonna grab myself a place in history
    A teenage idol
    That's what I'm gonna be

    Well, life is short and the world is rough
    And if you're gonna boogie, boy, you got to be tough
    Nobody knows if I'm dead or alive
    I just drink myself to sleep each night

    And so I pray to the teenage god of rock
    If I make it big let me stay on top
    You got to cut me loose from this one-room dive
    Put me on the ladder keep this boy alive

    And root-toot-shoot myself to fame
    Every kid alive gonna know my name
    An overnight phenomenon like there's never been
    A motivated supersonic king of the scene

    I'll be a teenage idol, just give me a break
    I'm gonna be a teenage idol no matter how long it takes
    You can't imagine what it means to me
    I'm gonna grab myself a place in history
    A teenage idol, ah, yeah
    Ooh, that's what I'm gonna be Writer/s: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Jeffrey from New YorkYes I remember the video from a Elton John concert at Madison Square Garden in 1974 I believe it was the Thanksgiving show that John Lennon played 3 songs with Elton
  • Scott Schultz from Tucson, ArizonaWhen I saw Elton John at the Forum back in the 70's, an animated video of Teenage Idol was shown before the concert. Does anyone else remember it? I've tried to find it but to no avail.
  • Ken from Louisville, KyBoth Bernie and Elton say the inspiration of this song was Marc Boland - England's "teenage idol" of the early 1970's.
  • Kevin from Reading , PaA good example of the kind of quality album tracks Elton managed to produce in his early to mid 70s heyday. Like many of them, it probably could have been a hit single.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Victoria Williams

Victoria WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

Despite appearances on Carson, Leno and a Pennebaker film, Williams remains a hidden treasure.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."