Originally Posted by HearToLearn
Originally Posted by etcjoe
Well the person singing it is not the person in the lyrics. Most of the time they tell a story and invent the "characters" of that story. Maybe he is 17 or 18 and still in high school and she is 16 also in high school. Who knows, I don't usually equate lyrics to the personality of the singer or even the song writer.

Ringo Starr and others" You're sixteen, You're beautiful and you're mine.

Written By the Sherman Brothers of Disney fame. None of them or anyone who sang it was even close to 16. Is it kind of creepy, yes, but is it wrong, well not really. As I say you can't really put the singer into the song as the protagonist although most people do.

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@HearToLearn: The one phrase DOES say you quoted, but also "Leave her alone they said..." Then the lyrics continue with "I would wait 'til the end of time for you", meaning in my mind "Damn. She's only 16 so I have to wait."

Just like how the libs put their spin to the phrase "What did you put in that drink" in "Baby It's Cold Outside" and got it banned from the radio, isn't it possible that the composers meant (IN 1944!!!) "I was expecting ginger ale. Did you put some whiskey in there too?" The feminists would add "You are trying to get her drunk so you can take advantage of her!"

Norwegian Wood: "I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me." Talking about promiscuous sex, are we?? Take it off the air!!

You could find something objectionable in most songs if you look for a phrase to take out of context and twist it enough ways to distort it to fit an agenda, agreed? I wonder what the feminazis would say about "I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go, people know the part I'm playing. Disgusting man taking advantage of lonely women with money! That's sexual harassment!" You're 16 was mentioned. That song takes of different perspective if the guy singing it is 16 or 46. And it was released in 1960. Remember when Tipper Gore and her evil lyric militia claimed to hear the words "Do it" in backward masking of a breath on a Judas Priest album and first made the allegation that "do it" meant "Kill yourself"? And that so influential was that band that some kid killed himself, apparently joining Tipper in her allegation of how to interpret "do it". (Amazing how the public turn into sheep when political bias is introduced into anything.)

But opinions are opinions and I respect yours!

I understand the concept of being a character, or maybe this was someone thinking back to a time when they themselves were younger.
But he was 33 when he wrote this. Ok, maybe still the character thing...but creepy. BUT that wasn't the case. I've heard him tell this story different ways, which is why I'm not sure what to think. One time someone else, the co-writer, made the comment that is the opening line. Another time, I heard it was just a comment he made to the co-writer. In both cases, it was a girl who was 16 who walked into the room they were in wearing a mini-skirt. One said something to the effect of "wow!" the other said the opening line. In either case, one had to tell they other one to leave her alone. In my opinion, pretty damn creepy.

BUT, what made me more uncomfortable, and I think is a bit more of an eye opener, is the video. He decided to play the part of the person who is pursuing this young girl. Again, he was 33 or maybe 34 in the video. The girl, I don't think was 16 but may have been, but she's playing the part of of the 16 year old. In his interviews, I've also heard him say that it was more about this poor girl he lived by that he just wished he could help. Ok, so maybe I'm still wrong. Believe me I wanted to be. But in the end of the video he starts making out with the girl. So...Pretty damning in my opinion.

In a later interview he said he felt the lyrics were inappropriate and ended up re-recording the song with her being, I believe, 21. But I could be wrong on the age. Something close to that though.

Still think the SOUND of the song is incredible. His vocal is crazy great.

Just my opinion. Not trying to be politically correct. I have 4 daughters, so take that with a grain of salt...in a shotgun. laugh Seriously, I'm not trying to make it more than it is. Just saying what does bother me a bit though. As far as I know, none of it happened so, there ya go.

I am certainly no prude and there are some creepy songs out there. My wife and I have a category of songs we call stalker songs. There is someone, walking behind you, turn around, look its me. I mean really.

My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.