[1] The Stitches began in 1994 as a 1970s-style punk rock band based out of… Read Full Bio ↴[1] The Stitches began in 1994 as a 1970s-style punk rock band based out of Orange County, California and quickly gained notoriety as one of the early influential bands of Orange County punk rock. The Stitches are known as one of the most unpredictable, high-energy live acts around. Despite a large following, The Stitches have remained on independent labels, such as Disaster, Gold Standard Laboratories, Vinyl Dog, Suburbia, TKO, and Kapow.

Sixteen
The Stitches Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

pull back the blankets tear up your tickets swallow your razor blades dance to the go-gos sniff up your no-nos throw your life away your only sixteen and sixteens just right for me ... smoke your cigarettes and pay off your debts with your physical fees dance to the go-gos can't afford your nose but that's o.k. for free your only sixteen and sixteens just right for me

Overall Meaning

The Stitches's song Sixteen is a dark and cynical take on the experiences of youth. The lyrics paint a picture of a bleak world where the only escape is through the destructive behavior of drugs, sex, and partying. The first verse urges the listener to give up their hope and embrace the self-destructive lifestyle that the band is celebrating. The idea of tearing up your tickets and swallowing razor blades demonstrate the level of desperation that the singer is feeling.

The second verse continues this bleak outlook, with the singer suggesting that youth is the time to rack up debt, indulge in drugs, and seek instant gratification. The line "can't afford your nose, but that's o.k. for free" demonstrates the level of nihilism that the singer is feeling towards his/her own existence.

Overall, the song portrays a world that is both hopeless and exciting, where youth is both to be celebrated and abandoned. The Stitches's song Sixteen highlights the polarizing nature of youth culture, where the desire for rebellious behavior can co-exist with a deep sense of apathy.

Line by Line Meaning

pull back the blankets
Expose yourself and be vulnerable

tear up your tickets
Reject societal expectations and conventions

swallow your razor blades
Engage in self-destructive behavior

dance to the go-gos
Find solace in superficial and meaningless activities

sniff up your no-nos
Abuse drugs and engage in risky behavior

throw your life away
Live recklessly and disregard consequences

your only sixteen and sixteens just right for me
Targeting underage individuals for sexual exploitation and manipulation

smoke your cigarettes and pay off your debts with your physical fees
Use drugs and sex work as a means of survival

can't afford your nose but that's o.k. for free
Pursue drugs and other destructive behaviors despite financial difficulties or consequences

Contributed by Aubrey T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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