Sweet Little Sixteen
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| “Sweet Little Sixteen” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Chuck Berry | |||||
| B-side | "Reelin' and Rockin'" | ||||
| Released | January 1958 | ||||
| Genre | Rock and roll | ||||
| Label | Chess 1683 | ||||
| Writer(s) | Chuck Berry | ||||
| Producer | Leonard and Phil Chess | ||||
| Chuck Berry singles chronology | |||||
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"Sweet Little Sixteen" is the name of a Rock and Roll song written and originally performed by Chuck Berry, who released it as a single in January 1958. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked the song #272 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.
Its subject is fans of Rock and Roll, and specifically a girl, who has just turned sixteen and who is obsessed with Rock and Roll performers. She presumably qualifies as a "groupie", although the lyrics are innocent enough to avoid much controversy. The song obviously talks about her birthday and how she begs her mum and dad to let her go to a concert. The song describes what she wears - "tight dresses and lipstick; she's sporting high heel shoes". It then goes on to say how tommorow morning she'll be "sweet sixteen and back in class again".
[edit] Surfin' USA
The Beach Boys' song "Surfin' USA" has virtually the same melody, with new lyrics that focus on the Beach Boys' ongoing theme of Surfing. Various Beach Boys CDs, such as the Endless Summer collection, acknowledge "C. Berry" as the author of the tune for "Surfin' U.S.A."
[edit] The Beatles
Between 1963 and 1965 The Beatles recorded their version of this song. It can be heard on the compilation album Live at the BBC.
