| "Punk Rock Girl" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by the Dead Milkmen | ||||
| from the album Beelzebubba | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | December 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1988 | |||
| Studio | Arlyn Studios (Austin, Texas) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:40 | |||
| Label | Enigma | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| The Dead Milkmen singles chronology | ||||
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"Punk Rock Girl" is a song by American rock band the Dead Milkmen. It was the first single released from the band's fourth album Beelzebubba (1988). Released in December 1988, the track was primarily composed by guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro and bassist Dave Schulthise, though it is credited to all four band members. The idea behind the song was to create a punk rock nursery rhyme; as such, it is a simple love song, written from the perspective of a sheltered boy dreaming of a rowdy, delinquent girlfriend. Lyrically, it depicts the duo bonding over record-shopping and eating pizza.
The song was recorded with producer Brian Beattie in Austin, Texas. In addition to the band's normal lineup, the song also incorporates an accordion. Beattie hoped to emulate the quality of the quartet's original demo, by ensuring the guitar solo seemed stifled or imperfect. "Punk Rock Girl" makes several pop culture references, from comedian Minnie Pearl to musicians Mojo Nixon and the Beach Boys. It mentions several locations in the band's hometown of Philadelphia, including the counter-culture shop Zipperhead.
The track was the group's biggest commercial hit; it peaked at number eleven on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, the band's only such entry on the charts. Its music video was a surprise success when it was picked up by MTV, where it became a staple of the era. The song has been considered one of the first pop punk hits, as well as a breakthrough for the comedy rock genre. "Punk Rock Girl" remains the band's best-known song, and has been covered by numerous artists and licensed for a variety of media.