Seventeen
Dudley Saunders Lyrics


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come down daddy
set your clothes on fire
lay your body down
in the middle of the night
tell me pretty stories
about things you believe
things you get
things you leave

'cause the stars pour down
just like an ocean in the sky
I'm caught up in the undertow
and I I I I
can't believe
I'm sitting still
I took that pill
and I
am just so
high
just so high

now the days disappear
and the nights run away
like answer to arguments
you never got to say
and it's october cold tomorrow
and springtime yesterday
and today?
today
pass that joint this way

I got my own life
on my own side
I got whisky
when I'm out of beer
I got all the things
I never should have tried
and I got one thing
that worked its way
right through to here
hold it up to the light
shut one eye and peer
right into it like a crystal ball
like a telescope
do you see
do you see what I see here

and right now it's warm as thunder
when there isn't any rain
and a million miles away
is where that storm is gonna break

and I'll do the things
I'm dying to do
and baby, dead
dead is on the way
well they tell me that's what mama
had to say


I got my own life
on my own side
I got whisky
when I'm out of beer
I got all the things
I never should have tried
I am seventeen
and it feels so queer
sick and bad and disgusting
I am seventeen
and I
I




want to get
high

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dudley Saunders's song "Seventeen" weave an intricate tapestry of emotions, memories, and desires, capturing the tangled web of experiences that mark the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer addresses their father, urging him to let go of his inhibitions, to shed his clothes and ignite them in a symbolic act of liberation. The father, in turn, is asked to share his wisdom, to tell "pretty stories" about the things he believes in, the things that have given him strength and purpose. The stars above serve as a backdrop to this intimate conversation, evoking a sense of wonder and awe, as well as the overwhelming feeling of being swept away by the dizzying currents of life.


As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the fleeting nature of time, on the way days and nights seem to slip away unnoticed, leaving behind a muddled trail of unresolved conflicts and unanswered questions. October feels like "tomorrow," and springtime like "yesterday," signaling the way memories and expectations blend together in a timeless and bewildering way. The present moment is a brief respite from this confusion, a chance to bask in the warmth of companionship and intoxication, to mull over the things that one has done and the things that one wants to do before it's too late.


The final stanza of the song shifts gears dramatically, casting the singer in the role of an anxious and rebellious teen, itching to escape the confines of childhood and explore the vast and varied world of adulthood. The evocative language of "sick and bad and disgusting" captures the ambivalence and insecurity that often accompany this period of life, as well as the sheer thrill of breaking free from the mundane routines and expectations that have governed one's existence up until this point.


Overall, "Seventeen" is a complex and insightful exploration of the joys and sorrows of adolescence, a moving tribute to the human spirit's boundless capacity for change, hope, and resilience.


Line by Line Meaning

come down daddy
Addressing someone (possibly father), asking them to come downstairs.


set your clothes on fire
Asking someone to burn their clothes.


lay your body down in the middle of the night
Asking someone to lie down at night to rest.


tell me pretty stories about things you believe, things you get, things you leave
Asking someone to narrate stories about things they believe, things they get and things they leave.


'cause the stars pour down just like an ocean in the sky
Comparing the falling stars to an ocean in the sky.


I'm caught up in the undertow and I I I I can't believe I'm sitting still, I took that pill and I am just so high, just so high
The singer describes being high after taking a pill and how it feels amazing.


now the days disappear and the nights run away like answer to arguments you never got to say
The singer is describing how quickly time passes by and how some important arguments in life might never come up.


and it's october cold tomorrow and springtime yesterday and today? today pass that joint this way
Describing the time of year and the request to pass the joint.


I got my own life on my own side
The artist has their own life and needs their own space.


I got whisky when I'm out of beer
The artist has whiskey available as an alternative if they run out of beer.


I got all the things I never should have tried
The singer has experienced some things they may have regretted trying.


and I got one thing that worked its way right through to here
Speaker has one thing that went smoothly and worked out as they wanted.


hold it up to the light shut one eye and peer right into it like a crystal ball like a telescope do you see do you see what I see here
The singer describes looking through a crystal ball, telescope or holding up an item to see if the person looking can see what they are seeing.


and right now it's warm as thunder when there isn't any rain and a million miles away is where that storm is gonna break
It's warm currently without rain but there's a storm on the horizon.


and I'll do the things I'm dying to do and baby dead dead is on the way well they tell me that's what mama had to say
The singer is planning to do things they want to do, and they acknowledge that death is on the way, based on what their mother told them.


I am seventeen and it feels so queer sick and bad and disgusting I am seventeen and I I want to get high
The artist is 17 and feels bad, sick and disgusting. However, they want to get high.




Contributed by Claire G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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