Sixteen Years
Chapterhouse Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why tie a ribbon in her hair?
She knows that he don't even care
Please help her find a way to a better place
Hurt is the way he makes her feel
Pain doesn't seem to be for real

Caroline your time is near
Caroline must wait in here

Lies alone inside her room
Now she knows that she's the fool
Please let her find a way to a better place




Chose to live with too much pain
Sixteen years of life go straight away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Chapterhouse's song Sixteen Years are a poignant take on the experiences of Caroline, a young girl who is repeatedly hurt by the man she loves. The opening lines of the song paint a clear picture of the situation: 'Why tie a ribbon in her hair? She knows that he don't even care.' Despite this knowledge, Caroline continues to hold on to her hope that things will change, a hope that is reflected in the plea of the second line, 'Please help her find a way to a better place'.


As the song progresses, it becomes clear that Caroline's pain is very real. The line 'Hurt is the way he makes her feel' underscoring the sense of powerlessness that she experiences in the face of her lover's disregard. Despite this, Caroline continues to wait, as the line 'Caroline must wait in here' suggests. Even though she knows that her situation is untenable, she feels trapped and unable to escape.


The third stanza of the song takes a darker turn, as we learn that Caroline has been lying alone in her room, unable to cope with the pain that she is experiencing. She is aware of the reality of her situation, captured in the line 'Now she knows that she's the fool'. Despite this realization, Caroline still hopes for a better future, as the line 'Please let her find a way to a better place' demonstrates. The final line of the song is a gut-wrenching statement of the toll that the years of pain have taken on her: 'Sixteen years of life go straight away', suggesting that her youth and potential have been wasted.


Line by Line Meaning

Why tie a ribbon in her hair?
Questioning the point of making an effort to look good when the person she's doing it for doesn't appreciate it.


She knows that he don't even care
Acknowledging that the person she desires doesn't reciprocate her feelings.


Please help her find a way to a better place
Pleading for assistance in escaping her current situation.


Hurt is the way he makes her feel
Recognizing the emotional pain inflicted upon her by the person she desires.


Pain doesn't seem to be for real
Trying to convince herself that it's not as bad as it seems.


Caroline your time is near
Implying that her time has come to move on from her current situation.


Caroline must wait in here
Acknowledging that she's currently stuck in her current circumstances and can't leave yet.


Lies alone inside her room
Feeling isolated and alone in her thoughts.


Now she knows that she's the fool
Realizing that she made a mistake in pursuing the person who doesn't appreciate her.


Please let her find a way to a better place
Continuing to plead for assistance with finding a way out of her current situation.


Chose to live with too much pain
Acknowledging that she's made the choice to continue living in a painful situation.


Sixteen years of life go straight away
Reflecting on the passage of time and how much of it has been spent in a negative situation.




Contributed by Noah W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Ginger C

Simply Divine!!

João Rodrigues

amazing !

trubies

A Perfect song

xcide13

I hear the similarity with Rhinoceros but not all too close...love the cacophony!

Layla Vladi

dreamy

Nicktronic

What album is this from?

londonguy73

@s a v a g e the original release of whirpool didnt have this on it. Only the release of a deluxe version had it

s a v a g e

There's an EP called Freefall with this and 3 other songs, and after that Chapterhouse released an album including this EP and bunch of other stuff called Whirlpool

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