I'm Just a Kid
{{Short description|2002 single by Simple Plan}}
{{About|the Simple Plan song|the song by Wilco|The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie – Music from the Movie and More...}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I'm Just a Kid
| cover = I'mjustakid.jpeg
| alt = Simple Plan ganging up on a man wearing a yellow shirt with the word "Security" on the back.
| type = single
| artist = Simple Plan
| album = No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls
| released = {{start date|2002|2|4}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
- Pop punk{{cite web |url=http://www.aux.tv/2013/06/22-classic-cottage-pop-punk-songs/ |title=22 classic cottage pop-punk songs |publisher=Aux |last=Teo |first=Mark |date=June 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508084009/http://www.aux.tv/2013/06/22-classic-cottage-pop-punk-songs/ |archive-date=May 8, 2016 }}
- emo{{cite web |url=https://www.altpress.com/simple-plan-im-just-a-kid-lyrics-quiz/ |title=How well do you remember "I'm Just A Kid" by Simple Plan?|website=Alternative Press |date=March 19, 2020}}
| length = 3:18
| label =
| writer =
- Pierre Bouvier
- Chuck Comeau
- Arnold Lanni
- Sébastien Lefebvre
- Jeff Stinco
| producer = Arnold Lanni
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = I'd Do Anything
| next_year = 2002
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|_GOR5gvQwDI|"I'm Just a Kid"}}}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|4FJs7yfQHGk|"I'm Just a Kid" (Amazon Original feat. LØLØ)}}}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|tya18B8b9Xk|"I'm an Adult" parody by CHILIØ}}}}
}}
"I'm Just a Kid" is a song by Canadian pop punk band Simple Plan, written by Pierre Bouvier. It appeared on their first album, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls, and was released as their debut single on February 4, 2002.
The song saw a resurgence in popularity in April 2020 on the social media platform TikTok, where the song was used in a challenge that involves family members re-creating childhood photos.{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5821238/im-just-a-kid-challenge-explained/|title=Families Travel Back in Time With Childhood Photos for the 'I'm Just a Kid' Challenge|magazine=Time|last=Locker|first=Melissa|date=April 15, 2020|access-date=April 17, 2020}} A version of this song featuring LØLØ premiered in November 2022 as an Amazon Original song.{{Cite web |title=Simple Plan release new version of 'I'm Just A Kid' feat. LØLØ |url=https://www.simpleplan.cz/en/index.php/simple-plan-release-new-version-of-im-just-a-kid-feat-lolo/ |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=EN: SimplePlan.cz |language=en-US}} A parody version titled "I'm An Adult" was made in 2024 by Calgary-based band CHILIØ, which rewrites the song from a grown-up perspective. Pierre Bouvier was part of the marketing for this version,{{Cite web |title=CHILIØ Instagram - When @pierrebouvier calls, you pickup. |url=https://www.instagram.com/chilioband/reel/DBwRak0PFlX/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=www.instagram.com}} and the parody gained popularity on TikTok.
Music video
The music video is about how an awkward, average guy (DJ Qualls) attempts to impress a popular girl (Eliza Dushku) by attempting to perform dangerous stunts, but other, more popular boys (played by the band members) interrupt to take his place. They fail to succeed and are injured, and the main characters look on with pained expressions of pity and a certain amount of schadenfreude. Ending with the average guy simply speaking to the girl and her walking off with him while the heavily injured popular boys watch in disbelief. There is also a surreal sequence, in which the archetypal popular boy, played by rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Sébastien Lefebvre, is hit by a school bus. The video was made with actors from the movie The New Guy, such as Qualls and Tony Hawk. As such, it was released as an extra on the DVD and VHS of The New Guy. As well, in the video, there is a clip of Hawk taken from the final football game in the movie. Most of the scenes in the video were filmed at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California.
Track listing
- "I'm Just a Kid" (single version)
- "One by One"
- "Grow Up"
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "I'm Just a Kid"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2002|certyear=2023|access-date=January 22, 2025|artist=Simple Plan|title=I'm Just a Kid|source=radioscope}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=2004|certyear=2022|access-date=November 18, 2022|artist=Simple Plan|title=I'm Just a Kid|id=18523-4442-1}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2002|certyear=2020|access-date=July 30, 2020|artist=Simple Plan|title=I_m Just a Kid}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States
|February 4, 2002 |rowspan="3"|{{hlist|Atlantic|Lava}} |{{cite magazine|title=Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1438|page=32|date=February 1, 2002}} |
|---|
| February 25, 2002
|Hot adult contemporary radio |
| scope="row"|Australia
|May 13, 2002 |CD |{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue637.pdf|title=The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 13th May 2002|publisher=ARIA|page=24|date=May 13, 2002|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020514140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020515-0000/www.aria.com.au/Issue637.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2002|access-date=March 4, 2025}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Simple Plan}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:I'm Just A Kid}}
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Songs written by Pierre Bouvier
Category:Songs written by Chuck Comeau
Category:Songs written by Arnold Lanni
Category:Songs written by Sébastien Lefebvre