SIXTEEN GOING ON SEVENTEEN

Do you know the title of this post? This is the title of a song. This song appears in a famous American movie “The Sound of Music.” I introduced this movie a little in July, so this time I want to tell you about this movie and this song more.

“The Sound of Music” is a musical movie and the place is Austria. The main character is an apprentice of nun Maria. She becomes a private teacher of seven children of Colonel Trapp. The children are very naughty, but they like active Maria. There has been no music at the house since Colonel’s wife died, but Maria teaches many songs to the children. For example, when they are afraid of thunder, she sings “My Favorite Things” to forget the fear. This song is one of my favorite songs. She teaches from the basis of music to them because they don’t know anything about it. She teaches through “Do-Re-Mi.” Maybe you know this song. I think every child sings this song. Colonel is a strict man, but he opened to his children and Maria thanks to her cheerfulness. The scene they sing “Edelweiss” with smile is very impressive. Gradually they are attracted each other and fallen in love. This movie is full of love and great music.  

The song I’ll introduce this time is “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” The first daughter Liesl is sixteen years old. She is in love relationship secretly with Rolf, who is seventeen years old messenger boy. During one dinner, Liesl sneaks away to meet Rolf. They spend sweet time and sing and dance together. In this scene they sing this song. In this song, firstly Rolf sings to Liesl to tell that she is only sixteen so she should trust to him. Then Liesl responds to him. My favorite is this part.

     I am sixteen going on seventeen

　 　 I know that I'm naive

　　  Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet

　　  And willingly I 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 my ken

     I need someone older and wiser

　  　Telling me what to do

　　  You are seventeen going on eighteen

　　  I'll depend on you.

In this part, she says she’ll depend on him and asks to teach many things. I think she is so cute. And I think Rolf is also cute because he acts like an adult for Liesl though he is only seventeen. When I watched this movie for the first time, I was maybe 15. So they seemed to be adults for me at that time, but now I like this scene because they are so cute. I also like to sing this song, especially Liesl part. I even remember the lyrics.

This movie is a little long, but people who like musical absolutely like this movie. And if you have not watched any musical movie, I think you will like this movie and come to like musical movies. Actually since I watched this movie I have loved musical movies. I really want to go to a theater to watch “Les Misérables” now. I heard this is so moving that we could not help but cry. When the spring vacation starts, I’ll watch it! And I want to watch “The Sound of Music” again!