Stevie Nicks: Edge of Seventeen Meaning
Song Released: 1982
Edge of Seventeen Lyrics
Sings a song...
Sounds like shes singing...
Whoo... whoo... whoo...
Just like the white winged dove...
Sings a song...
Sounds like shes singing...
Ooo baby... ooo... said ooo
And the days go...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:Stevie has already been open about the inspiration of the song (the deaths of her uncle & John Lennon; with the disconnected title rooted in an unrelated and misheard conversation with Tom Petty's ex-wife).
But putting that knowledge aside and interpreting the words on their own (including the title), the song strikes me as a stunning piece of poetry about the collision of youth and death. Having dealt with a dying loved one, and taken daily walks down seemingly endless hospital corridors, I get a chill every time I hear the part about a flood of tears and searching through hallways for an answer that never comes...... -
I propose just like they're wide winged of...
Who...?
I went forth...with an Angel...I desire to please
Has Stevie ever given us her own written lyrics...
Oral tradition, spoken words vs... reading them... Are much more transparent... however, some artists don't share their secrets... Especially, if they're tricks of the trade... only the stuffs legends are made of as artists...not musicians
That's kind of 2 different ballparks...artists & musicians...I thunk -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Using actual interpretation of the lyrics is absolutely different to having knowledge/research on Nicks' meaning. If we are interpreting the song then what she was inspired by is secondary to the work she has placed into the world.
The song provides evidence of relationship and intimacy which is not necessarily erotic but sensuous.The protagonist intimates having feelings they will act on, "But the moment that I first laid/Eyes on him, all alone" and the lyrics,"He was no more than a baby then
Well he seemed broken hearted" connotes interest in the other.
To add to the idea of intimate relationship we have Nicks' use of the white winged dove - a symbol of purity and love. This symbol is a key to connecting the observation of the other as one based on feelings of closeness maybe even platonic more than erotic or if erotic not so much based on the pornographically crass and animal but more of the feelings of physical attraction that is normal and healthy.
So while it appears that the internet today gives up the roots of a song it is also important that the song stands on its own merit -what it is saying versus what Nicks personally experienced.
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Overstand, wow, wow, wow are you incorrect and you can stick the misandry where the sun doesn't shine. Your interpretation does show that personal experience can/does influence what one reads into things.
Nicks has spoken about her uncle and Lennon's death had an influence on her and how a conversation with Petty's wife gave her the title of the song.
Good luck with life, get some therapy.
Peace, Love, Unity and Respect to you and all. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I never paid much attention to the song until I much older. I instantly realized is about John Lennon, though I had not previously heard so. She would have been 17 when she first saw him, not when he died at age 40, in 1980, when she was herself much older. It is I am sure as said above also about her relationship with Buckingham, and although I did not know her brother died, him as well. It is a beautiful, dreamlike song, like all of hers, which I appreciate, because I often dream of those I love or have loved who passed over, including Lennon.
I just want to state that it has NOTHING to to with wanting to seduce a younger man, nor about giving up virginity to anyone. Those are very ignorant ideas, probably from people who are only aware of the song via Beyonce's sampling of it. -
I thought it was referring to a older women in love with a younger man on the edge of 17 who is broken hearted. The hall is empty ( he dies.) Maybe she thinks of joining him but the nightbird says come away. She goes up and down the corridor for answers. She is haunted by his songs day and night. The only way is not at all. (drugs. sleep.) She is older than him could refer to the passing of time.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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well at the part when shes talking about the clouds not expecting the rain, she talks about how death is rain and we are the clouds not expecting it. so yeah :):)
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Regarding the "only problem" being that Stevie "was 32 when Lennon was killed" -
Stevie would have been "on the Edge of 17" when she would have seen him (as literally - *literally* - everyone did) on Ed Sullivan. That was *huge.* You have *no* idea just how huge unless you lived during or at least around that time. It was just as big as when they killed Kennedy.
Think about it. -
I'm not a rock listener but loved this song she's not singing about Lennon or Tommy I've done a lot of research to this song u males are really wrong she is singing about a women's experience losing her virginity to a dog ass male( which most do)the sea changing colors...the flow... looking for him...he bailed the hurt...white wing dove purity listen to what she is saying edge of seventeen becoming a grown up or least women think when doing this. The song she is singing to u ooh, ooh, ooh that's why bloggers don't get any
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Great songs allow yourself to correlate them into your life. That's the whole point of music... To get your heart n spirit into a rhythm of emotions and memories. Stevie is very good at doing just that. If you look upon the history of rock n roll, there are artist such as herself, John Lennon and Paul McCartney that have a natural sense to place words, rhythm and harmony into our bio-rhythm. Me... I found it interesting to discover her reasoning behind that song. The beauty of that song is that it inspires one to search for their own meaning. Way to go Stevie... How on earth did you have such forward thoughts, so early in your life? I'll forever by your fan!
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A MILF wanting to please a 17 year old virgin boy.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Actually you are partially right. The song was written about John Lennon's death. It was also written about her Uncle John's death. They both died around the same time. The line in the song that goes: "I went searching for an answer up that stairs and down the hall. I did not find an answer but I did hear the call of a nightbird." comes from when she and her brother were alone with her Uncle John in the hospital and he died. She did go searching for an answer down the hall. The song is about a few different things as many of her songs are. It's a very personal song for me because I never had a clue what she was talking about until my younger brother died at 23 of cancer and I did go down the hall as she did searching for an answer that I could not find. I listened to the song about a week later and when that line came up I started to cry. I looked up the meaning on her website and was blown away.
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