Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that
Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that
Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that

Now you're all gone, got your make-up on and you're not coming back
Can't you come back?

Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that
Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that
Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that

Now you're all gone, got your make-up on and you're not coming back

Bleaching your teeth, smiling flash, talking trash, under your breath
Bleaching your teeth, smiling flash, talking trash, under your breath
Bleaching your teeth, smiling flash, talking trash, under your breath
Bleaching your teeth, smiling flash, talking trash, under my window

Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me

Park that car, drop that phone
Park that car, drop that phone (dream about me)
Park that car, drop that phone
Park that car, drop that phone (dream about me)
Park that car, drop that phone

Used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that
Now you're all gone, got your make-up on and you're not coming back


Lyrics submitted by fallacies, edited by krosm, sarahnorthway

Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl Lyrics as written by Charles Ivan Spearin Brendan Canning

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing

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Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl song meanings
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182 Comments

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  • +2
    My Interpretation

    I'm going to go with those that say it's about growing up :)

    To me, this is what your teenage self would say about you when they would see you later in life. Before you settled, but after you sold out and became part of "the system" I think it's both in first person and second person. First part is in first person, the rest in second (from the POV of your teenage self)

    "Used to be the one of the rotten ones And I liked you for that Now you're all gone, got your make-up on And you're not coming back"

    The first person part. You miss being crazy, principled, fun, "yourself" and non-comformist. But you've grown out of that because you got more responsible with age and pressured to be part of society.

    And then your teenage you says:

    "Bleachin' your teeth, smiling flash Talking trash, under your breath Bleachin' your teeth, smiling flash Talking trash, under my window"

    Criticizing your older self about what it has become. I think the "under my window" refers to how "the 17 year old girl" is still there and can hear everything that you're saying and doing.

    "Park that car, drop that phone" Sleep on the floor, dream about me"

    Be less "responsible/serious/grown-up" sometimes, let go ("sleep on the floor") and remember your old self ("dream about me").

    It sounds really mournful to me too.

    I think it's about your "17 year old self" because you're still technically a kid then, but you've already developed emotionally and intellectually. This is the most evolved "you" there is before you become an adult (turn 18).

    seaparlouron May 03, 2013   Link

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