Teenage Love Affair

"Teenage Love Affair"
Single by Alicia Keys
from the album As I Am
B-side
ReleasedApril 22, 2008
StudioHenson (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length
  • 3:10 (album version)
  • 3:30 (radio edit)
LabelJ
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Alicia Keys
  • Jack Splash
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Like You'll Never See Me Again"
(2007) 		"Teenage Love Affair"
(2008) 		"Superwoman"
(2008)
Music video
"Teenage Love Affair" on YouTube

"Teenage Love Affair" is a song recorded by American singer–songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written by Keys, Jack Splash, Matthew Kahane, and Harold Lilly, it was released as the third single from As I Am on April 22, 2008, by J Records.

A moderate commercial success, "Teenage Love Affair" peaked at number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Critically acclaimed, the song was ranked at number 23 on the "100 Best Songs of 2007" list published by Rolling Stone.[1]

Background and production

The track was produced by Keys and Splash and is based around a sample from The Temprees' 1972 song "(Girl) I Love You", written by Josephine Bridges, Carl Hampton, and Tom Nixon. The song ranked at number twenty-three on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007,[2] and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2008 BET J Virtual Awards.[3] It impacted mainstream urban radio on April 21, 2008. The song was a critical and commercial success in the US entering both the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop 100 charts and climbing to number three on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart. Keys performed the song on Late Show with David Letterman on April 29, 2008. Swizz Beatz produced a remix of "Teenage Love Affair" featuring LL Cool J, using a sample from Slick Rick's 1988 song "Teenage Love".[4] After failing to pick up sufficient airplay in the UK, the physical single was canceled there and the song charted at number one hundred and ninety-nine.

Music video

According to Keys' official website and official fan club, the music video for "Teenage Love Affair", directed by Chris Robinson and Andrew Young (with whom she had previously worked with on 2001's "Fallin'" and 2003's "You Don't Know My Name", among others), was filmed at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Derek Luke plays Keys' love interest, and Anthony Hamilton, Jackie Long, Albert Daniels, Tristan Wilds, and Tanisha Scott make cameo appearances in the video as well. The video is based on Spike Lee's 1988 film School Daze, starring Laurence Fishburne, Tisha Campbell-Martin, and Kyme, among others. The video premiered across America on April 23, 2008 on MTV's TRL.[5] That same day, Keys also appeared on BET's 106 & Park to premiere the video. BET placed the video at number forty on Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008[6] while BET J placed it at number fourteen on the Soul Sessions Top 50 of 2008.[7] Giancarlo Esposito, the actor who portrayed Dean Big Brother Almighty in School Daze, makes a cameo appearance in the beginning of the video.

Synopsis

Key's performing the song at the talent show with her backing dancers in the music video.

The music video starts off with Keys and Luke having a phone conversation. Then the video takes us back two weeks ago to when they first met. Two weeks prior, Luke, a male college student at Britton College is giving a speech about an epidemic in Africa. Then Keys, a female college student, joins the audience. Luke turns and stares at Keys, but does not finish his speech. Then everyone turns to Keys, realizing that she was Luke's distraction, and Luke finishes his speech. Then Keys and her friends (Sharaya J) are walking and dancing down a sidewalk on the college campus. The next part of the video shows Keys and Luke having a secret meeting on a staircase. Keys gives him a note, which is an invitation to the Britton College Talent Show later the same day. After that, Luke and his friends are playing cards. One of his friends reminds him about the talent show and Luke tells his friends that he has better things to do. Later that evening, Keys, in the talent show, is singing to the song with three back-up singers. Later that night, there is a pajama party at the college lounge.

Luke who is at the party with his friends, is watching a female college student dance. Then Keys and two of her friends walk in with large overcoats. Luke notices Keys before she notices him. Once she has spot Luke, she notices that he is looking at the dancing girl. They both give each other "dirty" looks while Luke is feeling ashamed. Then Keys opens her coat, revealing her pajama party outfit (a golden silk nightgown), and followed by her friends, they start to dance, while Keys starts dancing next to a male college student (Wilds) who laughs at Luke. Later that night, Luke is headed to his room when he runs into Keys, and they start dating. The end of the video takes us back to the beginning, where Keys and Luke are having their phone conversation, which is shortened.

Track listings

Personnel

Musicians

  • Alicia Keys – vocals

Production

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Teenage Love Affair"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States April 22, 2008 12-inch vinyl J
[23]
May 13, 2008 Rhythmic contemporary radio
[24]
United Kingdom June 9, 2008 Digital download
[25]
Australia June 30, 2008 CD Sony BMG
[26]
United States July 8, 2008 Contemporary hit radio J
[24]

References

  1. ^ "Rolling Stone Magazine: the 100 best songs of 2007". Pop Crunch. Archived from the original on 2010-07-26. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  2. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2007". Rolling Stone. December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on December 15, 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  3. ^ "Song of the Year – BETJ Virtual Awards 2008". Centric. Archived from the original on 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  4. ^ Reid, Shaheem (June 17, 2008). "Swizz Beatz Addresses Alicia Keys Rumors, Reveals Michael Jackson Tour Deal". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
  5. ^ "TRL – Schedule". MTV. April 23, 2008. Archived from the original on July 5, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  6. ^ "Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008". BET. Archived from the original on 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  7. ^ "Soul Sessions Top 50 of 2008". Centric. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  8. ^ Teenage Love Affair (US promotional CD single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2007. 88697-32704-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Teenage Love Affair (European promotional CD single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG. 2008. 88697 27081 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Teenage Love Affair (Australian CD single liner notes). Alicia Keys. BMG. 2007. 88697320172.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Teenage Love Affair (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2008. 88697-31105-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Teenage Love Affair Remix (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2008. TLAR1208.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ "Alicia Keys – Teenage Love Affair" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  14. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Alicia Keys" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  15. ^ "Alicia Keys – Teenage Love Affair". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  16. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200836 into search. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  17. ^ "Chart Log UK (1994–2010): Alex K – Kyuss". Zobbel. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  18. ^ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  19. ^ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  20. ^ "As I Am – Alicia Keys | Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  21. ^ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  22. ^ "Year End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.biz. 2008. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  23. ^ "Alicia Keys – Teenage Love Affair [Vinyl]". United States: Amazon Music. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  24. ^ a b "Available for Airplay". FMQB. Archived from the original on November 1, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  25. ^ "Music Upfront" (PDF). Music Week. London. June 7, 2008. p. 21. Retrieved May 30, 2024 – via World Radio History.
  26. ^ "New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 30th June 2008" (PDF). The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. June 30, 2008. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022 – via Pandora archive.