Teenage Dirtbag

Infobox Single
Name = Teenage Dirtbag


Artist = Wheatus
from Album = Wheatus
Released = 30 October 2000
Format = CD single
Recorded =
Genre = Pop punk
Alternative rock
Length = 4:00
Label = Columbia Records
Writer =
Producer =
Last single = -
This single = "Teenage Dirtbag"
(2000)
Next single = "A Little Respect"
(2001)

"Teenage Dirtbag" is a single by Wheatus, released in 2000. It was included on the soundtrack of the movie "Loser" (contrary to popular misconception, it is not associated with the film "American Pie"). The single was massively successful in Australia, spending three weeks at #1, and becoming the second-highest selling single of the year. It also reached #2 in the United Kingdom and #2 Germany.

This song appears on Wheatus's self-titled debut album "Wheatus", also released in 2000. In 2005, British girl group Girls Aloud covered the song for their tour. It was later featured as a b-side to their single "Whole Lotta History". A studio recording cover by Girls Aloud is included on a special BBC Radio 1 compilation CD, "Radio 1. Established 1967", celebrating 40 years of the station. It has also been covered by the all-girl Belgian Scala Choir, [ [http://www.coversproject.com/artist/wheatus The Covers Project: Wheatus ] ] and is regularly covered live by Dashboard Confessional.

The song was also featured at number 69 on the top 100 greatest pop songs of all time on the UK music channel, "The Hits".

For the radio version, from the sentence "He brings a gun to school" the word "Gun" was removed due to the colombine massacre three years previously.

Track listing

#"Teenage Dirtbag" – 4:17
#"I'd Never Write a Song About You" – 3:38
#"Pretty Girl" – 4:29

Music video

The video clip alludes to the film "Loser", with Jason Biggs playing a nerdy character similar to that in the movie, and Mena Suvari as a love interest who initially takes no notice of him, until she asks him out at the high school prom, much to his joy (it should be noted that the film itself actually takes place during college, not high school). However, in some versions of the music video a large glitter ball falls from the ceiling and strikes him on the head, knocking him out and suggesting that he had imagined this. Interesting sidenote, both Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari appear in the movie "American Pie" and its sequel "American Pie 2".

References