Lyric discussion by Linmartin 

Cover art for Twenty-One lyrics by Cranberries, The

I haven't listened to this for ages, but when I first heard it, Calysto's version was exactly what I thought. I think it's about hope that when reaching adulthood, you will have some control over your life and not just put up with whatever is thrown at you by those who have more power than you. It sounds a very angry song to me.