Seventeen
Meredith Bragg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would you try and reach me.
Would you even care.
What if I were right behind,
Would you turn to see,
You would come to realize,
I'm only 17.
Back when I would shut my eyes,
I was only half alive,
And you were in between.
Did you see the skyline,
Monuments and all.
They could not compare to
What you were before
Back when I would bide my time,
Close but indiscreet,
I would rather be resigned,
Than speak and risk defeat.
Now that I adjust my eyes,
As you turn to leave,
I have come to realize,
That I was only 17.
Only 17.
The lyrics of Meredith Bragg's song Seventeen are quite ambiguous and mysterious, leaving room for various interpretations. However, several themes can be extrapolated from the lyrics. The singer seems to be reminiscing about a past relationship and the naivete that accompanied it. The lines "Back when I would shut my eyes, Just to hear you breathe. I was only half alive, And you were in between" suggest that the singer was deeply in love with this person, even though they were not entirely present in the relationship.
The following lines "Did you see the skyline, Monuments and all. They could not compare to What you were before" introduce the concept of comparisons, of weighing things against one another. The singer seems to be saying that even though the relationship may have been flawed or not entirely satisfying, it was still better than anything else that existed in the world around them. The last few lines "Now that I adjust my eyes, As you turn to leave, I have come to realize, That I was only 17. Only 17" imply a sense of hindsight and self-awareness. The singer now understands that they were young and naive when they were in this relationship and are now looking back with a more mature perspective.
Overall, the song's themes center around love, loss, and youthful naivete. There is a sense of melancholy and regret that permeates the lyrics, as well as an awareness of the fleeting nature of youth and the transience of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
If I were a million miles in the air,
If I were unreachable and far away,
Would you try and reach me.
Would you attempt to make contact?
Would you even care.
Would you have any concern or feelings whatsoever?
What if I were right behind,
If I were right there with you,
Would you turn to see,
Would you even bother to look?
You would come to realize,
You would eventually understand,
I'm only 17.
That I am young and inexperienced.
Back when I would shut my eyes,
In the past, I used to close my eyes,
Just to hear you breathe.
In order to hear you inhaling and exhaling.
I was only half alive,
I felt incomplete and unfulfilled,
And you were in between.
And you were the intermediary or connection I relied on.
Did you see the skyline,
Did you view the city skyline,
Monuments and all.
Including all of the significant and impressive buildings.
They could not compare to
None of them were comparable or equivalent to
What you were before
The impact and importance you had on me in the past.
Back when I would bide my time,
When I used to wait and be reserved,
Close but indiscreet,
Being near to you but not being open or transparent.
I would rather be resigned,
I preferred being passive and accepting,
Than speak and risk defeat.
Instead of speaking out and possibly being rejected.
Now that I adjust my eyes,
Now that I am re-evaluating and seeing more clearly,
As you turn to leave,
As you begin to depart,
I have come to realize,
I have finally understood,
That I was only 17.
That my youth and immaturity played a significant role in my past actions and emotions.
Only 17.
Emphasizing once again the importance of youth and immaturity in the context of the song.
Contributed by Connor S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.