In an interview with Attitude, he said the track is about lying about his age and hooking up with older men on Grindr:
"I managed to get a fake ID and then I got Grindr on my phone and started to try to meet people who were like me, but you sort of are forced a little bit into these hyper-sexualised environments, and even though that’s awesome when you’re 17… I didn’t know what else to do. […] There’s actually a song about that on the album called ‘17’… Originally the chorus of the song was ‘Here he comes / like he just walked out of a dream / doesn’t care that you’re 17’. And I was like ‘uh, that sounds a bit predatory’, and maybe it was a little bit. That’s what I mean, it’s like, I’m not looking back at those experiences in a negative or a positive light."
Troye said the song is meant to be darker than the rest of the album. He said that he was worried that he was going to promote this behavior but wanted to share his experience.
Seventeen
Troye Sivan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got something here to lose that I think you wanna take from me
You say that I'm asleep but I wanna be awake
Got something here to lose that I know you wanna take
And he said age is just a number, just like any other
We can do whatever, do whatever you want
Boy becomes a man now
He'll just do whatever, do whatever he wants
I went out looking for love when I was seventeen
Maybe a little too young, but it was real to me
And in the heat of the night, saw things I'd never seen
Oh, seventeen
You should know I'm green but I'll find my way around
Heard the whispers, now let's see what all the talk's about
I'm taking in the sights and measuring the sounds
Heard the whispers, now let's see what all the talk's about
And he said age is just a number, just like any other
We can do whatever, do whatever you want
Boy becomes a man now
Can't tell a man to slow down
He'll just do whatever, do whatever he wants
I went out looking for love when I was seventeen
Maybe a little too young, but it was real to me
And in the heat of the night, saw things I'd never seen
Oh, seventeen
(Seventeen, seventeen, seventeen)
(Seventeen, seventeen, seventeen)
I went out looking for love when I was seventeen
Maybe a little too young, but it was real to me
And in the heat of the night, saw things I'd never seen
Oh, seventeen
I went out looking for love when I was seventeen
Maybe a little too young, but it was real to me
And in the heat of the night, saw things I'd never seen
Oh, seventeen
(Seventeen, seventeen, seventeen)
(Seventeen, seventeen, seventeen)
The lyrics of Troye Sivan's "Seventeen" explore the theme of growing up, maturity, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The song appears to address an older individual who is trying to break the beliefs and steal something from the singer, which he perceives as something to lose. The song explores the idea of taking risks, particularly in matters of the heart, and ultimately explores the idea that age is just a number.
The song begins with the singer referring to his beliefs that the other person wants to break and acknowledging that he has something to lose, that they want to take from him. The chorus shifts gears and tackles the idea of age, with the other person saying that age is just a number and it is possible to do anything, no matter what the age. The boy has now become a man, and no one can tell him to slow down as he will do whatever he wants.
In the second verse, the singer alludes to his age and the fact that people talk about him, but he is still excited by the new experiences and is determined to find his way around. The heat of the night presents him with things he has never seen before, and he reflects on his youthful pursuit of love despite being "a little too young."
Overall, "Seventeen" is a song about growing up, exploring new experiences, and the idea of taking risks regardless of age. The song tackles the theme of youthful exuberance and the determination to pursue love, despite being viewed as too young.
Line by Line Meaning
I got these beliefs that I think you wanna break
I have certain values and convictions that I believe you are trying to undermine.
Got something here to lose that I think you wanna take from me
I have something valuable that I believe you are trying to take away from me.
You say that I'm asleep but I wanna be awake
You claim that I am unaware of something, but I actually want to be informed and knowledgeable about it.
Got something here to lose that I know you wanna take
I'm certain that you are trying to take something valuable from me.
And he said age is just a number, just like any other
He stated that age is simply a numerical figure that does not inherently limit or dictate behavior.
We can do whatever, do whatever you want
We are free to do whatever we desire.
Boy becomes a man now
The boy has come of age and become a man.
Can't tell a man to slow down
It's impossible to tell a man to slow down and expect him to do so.
He'll just do whatever, do whatever he wants
He will simply do what he desires, regardless of external influence.
I went out looking for love when I was seventeen
At the age of seventeen, I was seeking to find love.
Maybe a little too young, but it was real to me
Perhaps I was too young to fully understand, but my feelings were genuine and significant to me.
And in the heat of the night, saw things I'd never seen
In the passionate and intense moments of the night, I experienced things that were entirely new to me.
You should know I'm green but I'll find my way around
I admit that I am inexperienced, but I will learn and navigate my way through unfamiliar situations.
Heard the whispers, now let's see what all the talk's about
I have heard rumors and gossip, and I am now curious to witness the reality firsthand.
I'm taking in the sights and measuring the sounds
I am carefully observing and analyzing everything around me.
(Seventeen, seventeen, seventeen)
The refrain repeats the title of the song, which references the age of seventeen and the experiences and emotions associated with it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Alexandra Hughes, Bram Katz Inscore, Brett Leland McLaughlin, Troye Sivan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind