Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender Lyrics Meaning – A Raw Odyssey Through Youth’s Trials and Tribulations
Lyrics
I remember snuff videos
Cold Septembers, the distances we covered
The fist fights on the beach, the bizzies round us up
Do it all again next week
An embryonic love
The first time that it scarred
Embarrass yourself for someone
Crying like a child
And the boy who kicked Tom’s head in
Still bugs me now
That’s the thing, it lingers
And claws you when you’re down
I was far too scared to hit him
But I would hit him in a heartbeat now
That’s the thing with anger
It begs to stick around
So it can fleece you of your beauty
And leave you spent with nowt to offer
Makes you hurt the ones who love you
You hurt them like they’re nothing
(Oh, oh)
You hurt them like they’re nothing
(Oh, oh)
You hurt them like they’re nothing
(Oh, oh)
See I spent my teens enraged
Spiralin’ in silence
And I armed myself with a grin
‘Cause I was always the fuckin’ joker
Buried in their humor
Amongst the white noise and boys’ boys
Locker-room talkin’ lads’ lads
Drenched in cheap drink and snide fags
A mirrored picture of my old man
Oh God, the kid’s a dab hand
Canny chanter, but he looks sad
God, the kid looks so sad
God, the kid looks so sad
She said the debt, the debt, the debt
So I thought about shifting gear
And how she wept and wept and wept
Well, luck came and died ’round here
I see my mother
The DWP see a number
She cries on the floor encumbered
I’m seventeen going under
I’m seventeen going under
(Oh, oh)
I’m seventeen going under (oh, oh)
(Oh, oh)
I’m seventeen going under (oh, oh)
(Oh, oh)
I’m seventeen going under (oh, oh)
(Oh, oh)
(Oh)
In a world where the language of youth often eludes the grasp of those outside its sphere, Sam Fender’s ‘Seventeen Going Under’ operates as a piercingly poetic Rosetta Stone. The song is not merely a collection of melodies and verses, but a vibrant mural painted with the raw emotions and experiences of a teenager on the cusp of adulthood.
Fender’s compelling narrative is soaked in the bittersweet cocktail of adolescence, where the dizzying highs of young love and rebellious exuberance collide head-on with the sobering lows of vulnerability and societal pressures. The track is a gripping exploration into the psyche of its protagonist, offering a window into the complex interplay of anger, joy, fear, and the relentless march of time.
A Reflection in the Puddle of Youthful Angst
The very essence of ‘Seventeen Going Under’ captures the helplessness often embedded in the teenage years, a time characterized by a relentless search for identity and purpose. Sam Fender’s lyrics paint a vivid image of a young individual wrestling with the dichotomy of adulthood’s expectations and the urge to remain shielded in the shell of childhood innocence.
It’s in the throes of ‘snuff videos,’ ‘fistfights on the beach,’ and ’embryonic love’ that the song’s protagonist tries to navigate the choppy seas of growing up. This is youth laid bare, stripped of the idyllic sheen, and presented in its unfiltered, chaotic glory.
The Claws of Anger: A Timeless Adversary
Anger is a recurrent theme throughout the song, personified as a creature that ‘begs to stick around.’ Fender eloquently describes the allure of anger and its destructive grip, which ‘fleeces you of your beauty,’ hinting at the irreversible damage it can cause to one’s self and relationships.
This is not merely a tale of teenage fury but a stark reminder of the harrowing impact of unresolved rage. The songwriter’s candid admission of wanting to retaliate against past aggressors captures the universal struggle to let go of deep-seated resentments.
Humor as a Shield, Laughter as a Weapon
The role of humor in teenage survival is skillfully illustrated by Fender, equating the ‘armed’ synergy of wit to a defense mechanism. Through lyrics like ‘buried in their humor,’ we see a portrait of a young person veiling their insecurities and pain underneath a veneer of comedic bravado.
In identifying as ‘always the fuckin’ joker,’ Fender’s protagonist reveals the dichotomy of laughter: it bonds and divides, conceals and exposes, all at once.
The Hidden Tragedy of a Fractured System
Beneath the personal narrative of teenage angst lies a critique of the socio-economic challenges that can suffocate the dreams of the working class. ‘Seventeen Going Under’ subtly casts a spotlight on systemic issues like crippling debt and governmental apathy, as seen through the eyes of a maturing youth.
Lines such as ‘I see my mother / The DWP see a number’ expose the dehumanization inherent in welfare institutions, painting a harrowing picture of a household where hope ‘came and died.’ It’s an indictment of a system that often fails to recognize the humanity of those it is designed to serve.
Memorable Lines that Echo in the Halls of Relevance
‘I’m seventeen going under’ is a refrain that resonates as a multifaceted cry, encapsulating the overwhelming sense of drowning in the expectations, fears, and reality of being caught between two worlds.
As these words are repeated, they become an anthem for every individual who has felt the weight of the world before their time, a universal echo that transcends the boundaries of age and background. It’s this rallying cry that cements the song’s place as a contemporary classic, a mirror reflecting the internal battle that defines the human experience.
