A Teenager in Love explained

A Teenager in Love
Type:single
Artist:Dion and the Belmonts
B-Side:I've Cried Before
Released:March 30, 1959
Genre:Doo-wop
Label:Laurie
Prev Title:Don't Pity Me
Prev Year:1958
Next Title:Every Little Thing I Do
Next Year:1959

"A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman. It was originally recorded by Dion and the Belmonts, and released in March 1959. It appeared on their album Presenting Dion and the Belmonts (1959).[1] It reached number 5 on the Billboard pop charts.

The song was covered by many different artists; in 1959, three different versions of the song charted simultaneously in the UK, the other two versions being by Marty Wilde and Craig Douglas, which reached No. 2 and No. 13 respectively on the British chart.[2]

Background

The song was written by the songwriting duo Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman commissioned by Laurie Records, originally intended for the doo-wop singing group The Mystics. Laurie Records, however, gave the song to Dion & The Belmonts instead to record, and Pomus and Shuman then quickly wrote another song, "Hushabye" for the Mystics.[3] [4] Dion initially thought the song sounded "wimpy", but then realized the sound the song has when the Belmonts started singing "ooh-wah" at the start of the song. "A Teenager in Love" was released with "I've Cried Before" its B-side in April 1959,[5] and peaked at No. 5 in May.[6]

The song has appeared on multiple "best of" compilation albums by Dion and the Belmonts.[7]

Charts

scope=col Chart (1959)scope=col Peak
position
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)[8] 2

Parodies

The Fugs parodied "A Teenager In Love" as "Septuagenarian in Love" on The Fugs Final CD Part 1.[9] This version turns the teenager into a senior citizen who is having trouble getting an erection. The Four Preps parodied the song in "More Money for You and Me". A cover of the song appears in the video game Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, and it appears on the game's Wii Disc Channel screen.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Presenting Dion & The Belmonts - Dion & the Belmonts | Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic. April 4, 2022.
  2. Web site: Biography of Doc Pomus. March 26, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080415233504/http://www.felderpomus.com/docpomus1.html. April 15, 2008 . live.
  3. Book: Vickers, Graham . Pomus & Shuman: Hitmakers Together & Apart. 2013. 9780857128003. Omnibus .
  4. Book: Reynolds, Robert . Vanilla Doo-Wop . 2017 . 80. 9781365804601 .
  5. Distributor News. Billboard . April 6, 1959 . 6 .
  6. Billboard Hot 100. Billboard . May 18, 1959 . 41.
  7. Web site: A Teenager in Love - Dion & the Belmonts | Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic. April 4, 2022.
  8. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade, week of May 25, 1959 . 2024-05-28 . chumtribute.com.
  9. Web site: At a Reunion With the Fugs, Teenage Days Have Moved On. Jon. Pareles. October 9, 2004. April 4, 2022. The New York Times.