"So this song was written about trauma, just kidding. I would say 17 to 21, which is the other age I reference in this song, were some of the hardest years of my life. So yeah, I decided to write about that. [...] Also, something I wanted to make kind of clear in this song was like always prefacing the chorus with like, “I hope she knows I wouldn’t blame her”, ‘cause I think it’s important to give your younger self as much empathy as possible. ‘Cause obviously I was only doing the best I could at the time with like the tools I was given. So I kind of try to make that also clear. Like, I hope she knows I never blame her. Even though, I can look back and feel sad about certain things, I don’t blame my younger self or anything."
"17" is the fourth track of Madison Beer's sophomore album, Silence Between Songs. It was released on September 15, 2023, through Epic Records and Sing It Loud! Records.
Background
The song was first teased on July 11, 2023, after Beer shared a short snippet to her fans on a Twitter Space (
listen).
On August 9, 2023, the title of the song was revealed along with the full tracklist of Beer's sophomore studio album after much anticipation from fans.[1]
On August 30, 2023, Madison released a snippet of the song through her social media.[2] The snippet was accompained with a short visualizer.
Trivia
- This is Madison's first song whoose name consists only of a number.
- The title is only mentioned one time in the song, as the first word.
- The song is named after Beers toughest year in her life, the age of 17 and the other she is refering to 21.
- Madison used this song as a message to tell her younger self that she shouldn't blame herself for what happend in those years and that she did all she could do.
- In the song are many references to an older song of hers called "Dear Society" by saying "Been 21 since 17".
- This song was one of the last songs made for the album. It was created as Madison wasn't satisfied with the album and felt like something was missing.[3]
- In the second whiteboard version of the album this song served as track number three.[4]
- On whiteboard 3, it already happend to be the fourth song.
- Madison stated in an episode of Stories Between Songs on Tiktok that the song wouldn't have happend if she didn't write her book 'The Half Of IT'.[5]
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
17
I can’t recall a thing
I cry for help
But no one’s ever listening
My life moved faster than the speed of sound
Wish I could go there now
And slow down
[Verse 2]
Ain’t it strange
How people tend to change
I Hope she knows
That I would never blame her
Cause all she did was all she knew
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh is it too late now
To slow down
[Chorus]
All my life
I’ve never had the chance
To stop and smell the flowers
All this time
I never got to sit
And dream away the hours
[Post-Chorus]
My memory’s
Like black and white TV
And everybody says it’ll be okay
Like life is just a game
But I don’t want to play
[Verse 3]
21
It should’ve been so fun
Cherry ripe
I wish I had more time
This summer skin
It fades too quick somehow
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh is it too late now
To slow down
[Chorus]
All my life
I’ve never had the chance
To stop and smell the flowers
All this time
I never got to sit
And dream away the hours
[Post-Chorus]
My memory’s
Like black and white TV
And everybody says it’ll be okay
Like life is just a game
But I don’t want to play
[Outro]
Ooh, oh-oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
I don't wanna
Ooh, ooh, ooh
I don't wanna
References
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvBaqFLLP6/
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CwiiLHevmo2/?img_index=2
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw51JZSo-Fv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- ↑ Silence Between Songs (Album) | Madison Beer Wiki | Fandom
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw51JZSo-Fv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
EPIC RECORDS • SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 • 41:59
| ||
|---|---|---|
| SONGS | ||
| Released Tracks | ||
| Singles | Reckless • Dangerous • Showed Me (How I Fell In Love With You) • Home To Another One • Spinnin | |
| Scrapped Tracks | All I Ever Had Was You • Apology • Bad Boy • Bestfriend • Blessing In Disguise • Blood On Your Shoes • Bubbles • Cherries • Cool • Cruel World • Cry • Cut The Strings • Dream • Go to Bed • How's It Going To End • In My Dreams • Jealousy • Kids • Let You Down • Love Myself • Next To Me • Nick's Song • Not Your Lover • People These Days • Shampoo • Strawberry Sweet • Sweet Dreams • The Way She Loves Me • Track 5 • Unlovable • What Love Means • Where Did You Go • You Did This To Me | |
| GENERAL INFORMATION | ||
| Producers | James Francies • Leroy Clampitt • Madison Beer • One Love | |
| Writers | Gene Clark • Jim McGuinn • Kinetics • Leroy Clampitt • Lucy Healey • Madison Beer • One Love • Tobias Jesso Jr. | |
| Label(s) | Epic Records • Sing It Loud Records, LCC | |
| CHRONOLOGY | ||
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