Barely Legal

The story behind The Strokes' *Barely Legal* reveals a peculiarity in its conception. The lyrics, written by Julian Casablancas, delve into the perspective of a narrator captivated by a young woman who has just turned 18, despite perceiving her as naive. There is an anecdote connecting this theme to Julian's life, mentioning a relationship his father, John Casablancas, had with a 16-year-old model when he was 41. This coincidence could be interpreted as a reference or a veiled comment towards his father, with whom he is known to have had a complex relationship.

The recording of this song, along with others that would form the EP *The Modern Age*, took place in November 2000 at the Transporterraum studio in New York City. Producer Gordon Raphael led these sessions, where the band aimed to capture a direct sound, without excessive studio manipulation. This approach was built upon the compositions from the EP *The Modern Age*, which would later be re-recorded with some lyrical and arrangement variations for the debut album *Is This It*. The EP was released in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2001, and in the United States on May 22, 2001, generating significant interest in the record industry. The recorded duration for *Barely Legal* is 3 minutes and 58 seconds.