You wait little girl on an empty stage For fate to turn the light on Your life little girl is an empty page That men will want to write on To write on
You are sixteen, going on seventeen Baby, it’s time to think! Better beware, be canny and careful Baby, you’re on the brink
You are sixteen going on seventeen Fellow will fall in line Eager young lads and rouès and lads will offer you food and wine Totally unprepared are you To face a world of men Timid and shy and scared are you of things beyond your ken
You need someone older and wiser Telling you what to do I am seventeen going on eighteen, I’ll take care of you
I am sixteen going on seventeen I know that I’m naive. Fellows I meet may tell me I’m sweet and willingly I’ll believe I am sixteen going on seventeen, Innocent as a rose Bachelor dandies, drinkers of brandies what do I know of those?
Totally unprepared am I To face a world of men Timid and shy and scared am I of things beyond ken I need someone older and wiser Telling me what to do You are seventeen going on eighteen I’ll depend on you
A bell is no bell till you ring it A song is not a song till you sing it And love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay Love isn’t love till you give it away
When you’re sixteen going on seventeen Waiting for life to start Somebody kind who touches your mind will suddenly touch your heart!
When that happens, After it happens nothing is quite the same Somehow you know you’ll jump up and go if ever he calls your name! Gone are your old ideas of life the old ideas grow dim Lo and behold! You’re someone’s wife and you belong to him!
You may think this kind of adventure never may come to you Darling sixteen going on seventeen Wait a year or two