American Teenager (song)

**"American Teenager"** is a song by Ethel Cain, co-written with Steven Colyer and produced by Ethel herself. It was released as the third single from Cain's debut studio album, *Preacher's Daughter*, on April 21, 2022.

## Background

In June 2022, Ethel shared the instrumental of an early demo of the song. The last change to the track file was made in June 2021.

In November 2022, Cain shared snippets of several demo versions on Instagram stories. Through these Instagram stories, the recording dates of some demos have also been revealed:

* 17 December, 2021
* January 3, 2022
* January 16, 2022
* February 22, 2022

On December 31, 2022, an instrumental and a capella of the song leaked.

## Writing and inspiration

In a press release for the single, Ethel said:

> “Growing up I was surrounded by visions of NASCAR, rock’n’roll, and being the one who would change everything. They make you think it’s all achievable and that if nothing else, you should at least die trying. What they don’t tell you is that you need your neighbor more than your country needs you. I wrote this song as an expression of my frustration with all the things the ‘American Teenager’ is supposed to be but never had any real chance of becoming."
>
>

In an interview with *i-D*, Ethel Cain shared that some people misinterpreted the meaning of "American Teenager" after its release:

> “When ’American Teenager’ dropped, I quickly started seeing people be like, ‘Ethel Cain makes me want to grab a Bible and go to church, buy a gun and praise the American flag.’ And I was like... that is absolutely not the point at all,” she says, calling from her wood-panelled home in Alabama. “I know how I feel about this country. I know the bad things that have happened to me in the South. I know the negative connotation that I get when I look at a Bible or I look at the American flag. I know the evil and the darkness and the bitter taste in my mouth that those things have left for me. The private reclamation of my home, of the little things in between the cracks that I was coming back to loving, was being misinterpreted as me just going down South, guns blazing, flag waving, taking all of it back into my arms... it’s something I have to be wary of.”
>
>

## Music video

### Background

Along with the release of the music video, Cain spoke about its creation and inspiration.

> "I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with one of my favourite people Silken Weinberg, who flew down to Florida and spent a couple days with me in my hometown, running around getting sunburnt and riding bikes to the high school football field in town."
> "I dug my mom’s old cheerleading uniform out of the closet for the occasion. Looking at old pictures of my mom when she was my age cheering on that same football field was a huge inspiration when I was writing the song, so it only felt correct to play in her footsteps for the video. We shot it on the same camera we shot the God’s Country video on, trying to avoid any strict rules and just have a good time and shoot what felt natural and true to the essence of the song."
>
>

## Official versions

* Album version — 4:18
	+ Instrumental version — 4:18
	+ A capella — 4:18
* Early demo version — unknown
	+ Instrumental version — 4:36

## Lyrics

### Album version

[Verse 1]

Grew up under yellow light on the street

Putting too much faith in the make-believe

And another high school football team

The neighbor's brother came home in a box

But he wanted to go, so maybe it was his fault

Another red heart taken by the American dream

[Pre-Chorus]

And I feel it there

In the middle of the night

When the lights go out and I'm all alone again

[Chorus]

Say what you want, but say it like you mean it

With your fists for once, a long cold war

With your kids at the front

Just give it one more day, then you're done

Done

I do what I want, crying in the bleachers

And I said it was fun

I don't need anything from anyone, it's just not my year

But I'm all good out here

[Verse 2]

Sunday morning

Hands over my knees in a room full of faces

I'm sorry if I sound off, but I was probably wasted

And didn't feel so good

Head full of whiskey but I always deliver

Jesus, if you're listening let me handle my liquor

And Jesus, if you're there, why do I feel alone in this room with you?

[Pre-Chorus]

And I feel it there

In the middle of the night

When the lights go out

But I'm still standing here

[Chorus]

Say what you want, but say it like you mean it

With your fists for once, a long cold war

With your kids at the front

Just give it one more day, then you're done

Done

I do what I want, crying in the bleachers

And I said it was fun

I don't need anything from anyone

It's just not my year

But I'm all good out here

[Chorus]

Say what you want, but say it like you mean it

With your fist for once

A long cold war

With your kids at the front

Just give it one more day, then you're done

I do it for my daddy and I do it for Dale

I'm doing what I want and damn, I'm doing it well

For me, for me

For me, for me

### First scrapped verse

Grew up online as a fighter

Believe that they're right and you'll die here

Thinking it's still the same as it always was

But I cried for nights and days, and if there isn't one I'll make a way

Pledge my allegiance to freedom through violence

### Second scrapped verse

Moving out my faith to the bad news

Only being good 'cause I have to

If these walls could talk, they'd tell me to leave

So young, so much to fear

Are you there, God? Save me, I hate it here

Just please don't forget about me

## References

1. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Ethelcain/comments/vaov29/preachers\_daughter\_original\_demos/
2. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Ethelcain/comments/yz59pu/american\_teenager\_early\_demos\_shared\_on\_instagram/
3. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/news/ethel-cain-shares-new-song-american-teenager-listen/
4. ↑ https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/qjkadm/ethel-cain-interview
5. ↑ https://www.kerrang.com/watch-ethel-cains-official-video-for-american-teenager