SIXTEEN
(G. Stefani, T. Kanal)
from the album Tragic Kingdom

One of the songs from Tragic Kingdom that was played often after the album's release, and then hardly ever when the shows got bigger, this track is carried by Tony's awesome heavily distorted bass, Tom's harmonics and Adrian's fierce drumming, as well as very full harmony vocals by Gwen. The original mix was a bit spacier, as Tom's guitars were phased as well as some of the vocals. This original mix was played over the air on the radio show Ska Parade in April 1995.

One, two, three, four...

Yeah!

You've been a juvenile
With a dolphin smile
With no elbow room
With your body in bloom
You've had your little backyard
Protected by big walls
You didn't dare look over
'Cause you've been too small

Now you're finally sixteen
And you're feelin' old
But they, they won't believe
That you got a soul no whoa no
'Cause your only sixteen
And you're feelin' real
But you, you can't seem to cop a feel no whoa no

Why do they have to force us
Through this metamorphose
Little butterfly
No matter how you try
You'll be segregated
You're gonna be closed off
You're callow and you're green
'Cause you're caught between

You're only sixteen
Try to cross the line
But your little wings are intertwined no whoa no
Yeah you're only sixteen
And you're such a tease
And there's nothing you do
That can really please no whoa no

"These children
They're not really bad most of them
They're just products
Of rotten neighborhoods
And bad family situations"

You know you can't forsake it
So sit back and take it
You see you're just not ripe
So don't try to fight that

You're only sixteen
You wanna catch a peek
But they, they look at you
Like you're such a freak no whoa no
Well you're only sixteen
With a lot to say
But they won't give you
The time of day no whoa no

Well you're only sixteen! (you're only sixteen)
Hey you're only sixteen!! (you're only sixteen)
Hey you're just sixteen!!! (you're only sixteen)
You poor little thing