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Sweet 16

Green Day Released 2012

Song Meaning

The message for this song in the ¡Uno! deluxe lyric book is: "I remember you drinking Olde English driving all the way out. Sunbathing at Pinole Shores. My Minnesota Girl. Always."

Billie Joe ()Guitar World, 2012): "'Sweet 16' is a song about being in a relationship for a really long time. The first verse is about my relationship with Adrienne when we first met. And the second verse is more about our relationship now. And just how time passes and just kinda, 'Wow, we're still here and still together.'"

Billie Joe (Warner Music Poland interview, 2012): "Some songs are straight up about love, like, uh... a lot of songs. Oh Love, Fell For You, Sweet 16. Then it sort of dies into the human element. The brain and the heart and soul."

This song was written for Billie Joe and Adrienne's 16th wedding anniversary in 2010. The first verse talks about their early years together. The "back in the warehouse" line comes from the warehouse in West Oakland that Billie Joe lived in at the time. "From the midwest to the beach" references Adrienne's journey from her home state of Minnesota to California. Jane Street is a street in Minneapolis.

Have your own interpretation of "Sweet 16"? Leave a comment below.

Lyrics

Bring me back to an hour ago
Time stands still as the years go by

Brown eyed girl that's throwing down
A bottle of Old English
Back in the warehouse

Old days are fine but are left so far behind
From California to Jane Street
The kids alright alright as they'll ever be

'Cause you will always be my
Well you will always by my
You will always be my sweet sixteen

Sleep on the floor on cardboard
Stab at my heart like a dartboard

Browned skinned girl I had a dream
About a long long time now
From the midwest to the beach

Old days are fine but are left so far behind
From California to Jane Street
The kids alright, alright as they'll ever be

'Cause you will always be my
Well you will always by my
You will always be my sweet sixteen

Old days are fine but are left so far behind
From California to Jane Street
The kids alright, alright as they'll ever be

'Cause you will always be my
Well you will always by my
You will always be my sweet sixteen

Live History

Live History

Performances of "Sweet 16" from the GDA tour archive.
Total Plays
3 times / #241 most played
Most Recent
October 27, 2011 New York, NY
Earliest Known
August 11, 2011 Costa Mesa, CA

Comments

Song Comments

12 tracks

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