Seventeen
Ella Mae Morse Lyrics


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Seventeen, seventeen
Cool and solid seventeen
Young enough to dance and sing
Old enough to get that swing

Past sixteen, done been kissed
Graduated and got that twist
Kind of love I can't resist
At seventeen

Now, sloppy shirt, old blue-jeans
Dirty shoes, by all means
Patch of blonde, peroxide hair
Jukebox baby ain't no square

Seventeen, hot rod queen
Cutest girl you've ever seen




Tell the world I'm really keen
On my hep-cat doll of seventeen

Overall Meaning

The song Seventeen by Ella Mae Morse is an upbeat track about the teenage years of a young woman, celebrating her life at the age of seventeen. The song starts with the line 'Seventeen, seventeen, cool and solid seventeen' which seems to refer to the confidence and sense of self-assurance that often comes with youth. The lyrics capture the youthful enthusiasm and energy of the teenage years, with the singer highlighting that although she is still young enough to dance and sing, she is also old enough to have developed her sense of style and to understand what appeals to her.


The lyrics also speak to the excitement of first love, with the singer mentioning that she has already been kissed and that she has found a kind of love that she 'can't resist'. The second verse goes on to describe the singer's look in more detail, highlighting her casual style of a sloppy shirt, old blue-jeans, and dirty shoes, but also drawing attention to the patch of blonde, peroxide hair that is indicative of the cultural changes of the era. The song goes on to celebrate the singer's confidence and independence, with her being described as a 'hot rod queen', the 'cutest girl you've ever seen', and a 'hep-cat doll of seventeen'.


Overall, Ella Mae Morse's Seventeen is a joyful celebration of teenage life that captures the essence of the cultural changes that were happening in the 1950s.


Line by Line Meaning

Seventeen, seventeen
The singer is singing about being seventeen years old.


Cool and solid seventeen
The singer feels confident and capable at this age.


Young enough to dance and sing
The singer still has the energy to enjoy life and have fun.


Old enough to get that swing
The singer has enough experience to know how to have a good time and enjoy the music.


Past sixteen, done been kissed
The singer has already experienced romantic relationships and has been kissed before.


Graduated and got that twist
The singer has finished school and has learned how to dance a new style called 'the twist.'


Kind of love I can't resist
The singer is in love with someone who she can't resist.


At seventeen
The singer is reiterating that she is seventeen years old.


Now, sloppy shirt, old blue-jeans
The singer describes her dress in a casual way.


Dirty shoes, by all means
The singer doesn't care if her shoes are dirty.


Patch of blonde, peroxide hair
The singer has bleached blonde hair.


Jukebox baby ain't no square
The singer is a fan of rock and roll music and is not a conformist.


Seventeen, hot rod queen
The singer is describing herself as the queen of hot rod culture at her age.


Cutest girl you've ever seen
The singer feels confident and attractive at her age.


Tell the world I'm really keen
The singer is excited and enthusiastic about her life and her interests.


On my hep-cat doll of seventeen
The singer is referring to her lover or partner as a cool, stylish person who matches her interests and personality.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOYD B BENNETT, JOHN F. JR. YOUNG, CHUCK GORMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

miltsar

I have a great big smile on my face listening to this! It was my favorite song that summer when I was 11 years old. I will always remember the motorcycle club that rented a storefront shop down the street. They played this constantly while they hung around outside the club. Thank You so much for the memories !

brian Adams

why would anyone dislike this? It's jammin'!

brian Adams

JubalCalif lol.

Michael Quebec

A swinin' singer from the Big Band Era, she definitely is Rock n' Roll before Alan Freed appropriated the term to rhythm and blues records. Just goes to show that Big Band, Boogie Woogie, and Rock n' Roll are related.

hebneh

I like these more pop-sounding early rock songs. It's funny that the songs that followed these included references to the earlier hits, mentioning names like Long Tall Sally and Miss Molly - and the hepcat doll of 17, too; the "prettiest girl you've ever seen".

Mike Prescott

Takes me back to my RAF days listening to AFN on the wireless in '55.

eric lewis

me too bought the 78

mrblindfreddy9999

cant believe it i am 64 and never heard of her great voice

flamencoprof

First I saw her name was on some old 16 inch Armed Forces Radio records my grandfather had. I would have lumped her in with that old big band stuff, but now I have looked her up, listened and learned a bit more I am impressed.

AstroSonic1967

Great record by Ella. Like it better than the Fontaine Sisters version.

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