Sweet Little Sixteen
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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In Pittsburgh, PA
Deep in the heart of Texas
And 'round the 'Frisco Bay
All over St. Louis
And down in New Orleans
All the cats wanna dance with
Sweet Little Sixteen
Sweet Little Sixteen
She's just got to have
About half a million
Famed autographs
Her wallet filled with pictures
She gets 'em one by one
Becomes so excited
Watch her, look at her run, boy
Oh, mommy, mommy
Please, may I go?
It's such a sight to see
Somebody steal the show
Oh, daddy, daddy
I beg of you
Whisper to mommy
It's all right with you
'Cause they'll be rockin' on Bandstand
In Philadelphia, PA
Deep in the heart of Texas
And 'round the 'Frisco Bay
All over St. Louis
Way down in New Orleans
All the cats wanna dance with
Sweet Little Sixteen
'Cause they'll be rockin' on Bandstand
Philadelphia, PA
Deep in the heart of Texas
And 'round the 'Frisco Bay
All over St. Louis
Way down in New Orleans
All the cats wanna dance with, ooh
Sweet Little Sixteen
Sweet Little Sixteen
She's got the grown up blues
Tight dresses and lipstick
She's sportin' high heel shoes
Oh, but tomorrow morning
She'll have to change her trend
And be sweet sixteen
And back in class again
But they'll be rockin' in Boston
Pittsburgh, PA
Deep in the heart of Texas
And 'round the 'Frisco Bay
Way out in St. Louis
Way down in New Orleans
All the cats wanna dance with
Sweet Little Sixteen
Chuck Berry's song Sweet Little Sixteen is a classic rock and roll tune about a teenage girl who travels around the country, causing a stir wherever she goes. The opening verse describes the frenzy that Sweet Little Sixteen causes in various cities across the United States, from Boston to New Orleans. The chorus emphasizes the universal appeal that the girl has to men, as "all the cats" want to dance with her. Throughout the song, Sweet Little Sixteen is portrayed as a young woman who is growing up quickly but doesn't quite understand or appreciate the attention she's receiving. She longs to go to different places and be a part of the rock and roll scene, but also wants to be accepted by her parents and return to her life as a high school student.
The song also touches on the idea of the teenage rebellion that was prevalent at the time. Sweet Little Sixteen is described as wearing tight dresses, lipstick, and high heels, which were seen as slightly scandalous back then. She also collects autographs from famous musicians, which shows her passion for the music that her parents might not understand. The lyrics continue this theme by portraying Sweet Little Sixteen as a teenager who wants to live life on her own terms but is ultimately still tied to the expectations of her parents and society.
Overall, Sweet Little Sixteen is a fun and upbeat song that captures the youthful energy of the 1950s rock and roll scene. It's an interesting snapshot of the era and the way that teenagers were rebelling against the social norms of the time.
Line by Line Meaning
They're really rockin' Boston
Boston is really lively and the atmosphere is full of energy
In Pittsburgh, PA
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the same thing is happening
Deep in the heart of Texas
In the state of Texas, there is a lot of enthusiasm and liveliness
And 'round the 'Frisco Bay
There is a lot of liveliness and dancing around the San Francisco Bay
All over St. Louis
The city of St. Louis is buzzing with excitement and caters to the interests of everyone
And down in New Orleans
New Orleans is filled with a lively and vibrant vibe
All the cats wanna dance with
Everybody wants to dance with
Sweet Little Sixteen
This is a catchy nickname given to the young girl the song is about
She's just got to have
She is very focused and passionate about collecting autographs
About half a million
She has a really huge collection of autographs
Famed autographs
She is interested in collecting autographs of famous people
Her wallet filled with pictures
Her wallet is full of pictures that add to her collection
She gets 'em one by one
She takes her time to add to her collection by getting autographs one by one
Becomes so excited
She becomes very enthusiastic as her collection grows
Watch her, look at her run, boy
Watch her as she runs around excitedly as she adds to her collection
Oh, mommy, mommy
She is requesting permission from her mother
Please, may I go?
She is requesting permission to go to a certain event or place
It's such a sight to see
She knows that the experience will be amazing and she really wants to go
Somebody steal the show
She wants to be the center of attention
Oh, daddy, daddy
She is now requesting permission from her father
I beg of you
She is pleading with her father to agree
Whisper to mommy
Her father is asking her mother for approval
It's all right with you
He is reassuring her mother that it is safe for his daughter to go
'Cause they'll be rockin' on Bandstand
There will be a lively atmosphere and a lot of dancing at the Bandstand event
She's got the grown-up blues
She is getting older and more mature, which brings along some difficulties
Tight dresses and lipstick
As she matures, she is now dressing appropriately and wearing lipstick
She's sportin' high heel shoes
She is now wearing high heels like an adult
Oh, but tomorrow morning
The next day
She'll have to change her trend
She will have to go back to her usual style and trends
And be sweet sixteen
She will be the age of sixteen, which is a big milestone for young girls
And back in class again
She will be back in school with her classmates again
Way out in St. Louis
Even in far off St. Louis, there is a lot of excitement and dancing
They'll be rockin' in Boston
In Boston, people will be rocking and having a good time
All the cats wanna dance with, ooh
Everyone wants to dance with her
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pat Brennan
He wrote his own songs, he wrote his own lyrics, he payed guitar very well. Sounds like the real king of rock and roll to me..
WoioW oioW
Yeah actually he is the true king, not tou know the other guy...chuck berry and little richard sort of started the whole genre we know today.
davy
Who’s the “king” of rock and roll?
WoioW oioW
@davy chuck berry is but collaboratively him and little richard created the rock and roll genre, not elvis, like people used to thinking
Paulo Pereira
@WoioW oioW ... ir's not about thinking. It's about truth. Elvis was indeed a pioneer. Try to read more about.
WoioW oioW
@Paulo Pereira music is an artform, a basic theory not anything fundamentally set in stone. It's a matter of perspective, taking also in considerations the times chuck berry lived which did not favor black or latinos at the time so critics and tv moguls to decide on these terms for the public to absorb, consume and buy, and decide on like who is who in the music world. I personally prefer the guitar style and lyric creativism of chuck berry over elvis any day. And like many others consider him the king of rock and roll, and others believe it is little richard which is considered "the originator" and architect of rock and roll. The media has a way to brainwash so I read history to absolve myself from these ideas or norms serve to the public again to absorb consume and buy techniques.
doug peters
Chuck Berry's influence as a founding father of rock 'n' roll cannot be overstated
Jari Norppa
I agree
Cary Bensilhe
I was about to post something similar and saw your comment. Agree 100%
Eberhard Maus
Wer von den Rock n Rollern hat nicht von unserem guten alten Chuck gelernt. Yeah