Teenage Kicks | TAB
Even though it contains barre chords, this tune still feels like beginner material. That said, there’s an important lesson hidden in the details which, if you take it on board, will really help you progress. Let’s start with the main riff.
Verse
The first thing to notice is the open A string, which helps you move smoothly to the B5 chord. Details like this matter. In the chorus, a similar trick happens when using open strings from a G chord (last 8th note in the TAB).
More interesting is bar 4, final 8th note, where we switch to D5 early. Some players might stay on C#5 instead, which creates a brief semitone clash. Because it’s so quick, it’s easy to miss—but getting these small details right is what elevates you from beginner level. Compare this to American Idiot, where the clash was turned into a deliberate feature.
Chorus
The chorus TAB is much simpler. Again, you’ll spot an open A at the end to pivot back to D5 for the verse. It even begins with a single note, leading naturally from the open G.
I also arranged an alternative version using open-position chords—which I actually prefer!
Instrumental
For the instrumental, I adapted the part for one guitar. We use an open D and a quirky B chord that briefly brings in open B and E strings. In the last bar, we climb just like in the verse.
End
Finally, here’s the ending to complete the arrangement.
Practise each section until it feels natural, then play along with the original recording. Unlike funk or disco tunes, there’s no room for improvisation here—Teenage Kicks is about memorising the exact parts.
Practise with the backing tracks to get it right!
Teenage Kicks Backing Tracks + TAB | Related Pages
Teenage Kicks | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Teenage Kicks by The Undertones using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D | D5 C#5 /A |
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