It’s 1976, my favourite year: Grade 6!

This was the year of my first crush, first kiss, first fight with a best friend (over a boy). First school dance, first school graduation, first time in heels, first time with glasses (and a retainer?? hmm maybe that was Grade 7…). The music was something else. My sister had a transistor radio in her room and I routinely dialed it to the American station, Rock 104. They would play Steve Miller Band, the entire album, and then flip it over and play the entire other side! They also loved Meatloaf and Bat Out Of Hell. This exposure to the cutting edge of the top music of the time felt delicious to me.

Songs from the Grade 6 Graduation dance: Stairway to Heaven, Summertime Blues, lots of classic 50’s rock, Slow Dancin’ Swayin’ to the Music….Jerry Rafferty, Stever Miller and others. And Dr Hook. In particular, Only Sixteen, which they had recorded in 1972, but which was a hit in 1976. Funny how that works out! And oh, how we wished we were sixteen! I remember believing along with my girlfirends that this was one of thee most romantic songs, ever.

Flash forward to today, and I find out it was written and recorded by Sam Cooke in 1959. Huh. That’s Ok, I really like Sam Cooke’s songs, too!

Only Sixteen ~ Sam Cooke, 1959

She was [G] only six-[Em]teen, [C] only six-[D]teen,
[Am7][D7] I loved her [G] so.
But she was too [Em] young, to [C] fall in [D] love
And [Am7] I was too [D7] young to [G] know
We’d [G] laugh and we’d [Em] sing, and
[C] do the little [D] things
[Am7] That [D7] made our hearts [G] glow.
But she was too [Em] young, to [C] fall in [D] love

–

And [Am7] I was too [D7] young to [G] know
[Am7] Why did I [D7] give my [G] heart so [Em] fast?
It [Am7] never will [D7] happen a-[G]gain!
But [Am7] I was a [D7] mere [G] lad of six-[Em]teen –
[A7] I’ve aged a year since [D7] then!

–

She was [G] only six-[Em]teen, [C] only six-[D]teen,
[Am7]With [D7] eyes that would [G] glow.
But she was too [Em] young, to [C] fall in [D] love
And [Am7] I was too [D7] young to [G] know.

–

(Then [Am7] Why did you [D7] give your [G] heart so [Em] fast?)
Whoa, it [Am7] never will [D7] happen a-[G]gain!
([Am7] You were a [D7] mere [G] lad of six-[Em]teen -)
[A7] I’ve aged a year since [D7] then!

–

She was [G] only six-[Em]teen, [C] only six-[D]teen,
[Am7] With [D7] eyes that would [G] glow.
But she was too [Em] young, to [C] fall in [D] love
And [Am7] I was too [D7] young to [G] know.

–

She was too [Em] young, to [C] fall in [D] love
And [Am7] I was too [D7] young to [G] know.

–

She was too [Em] young, to [C] fall in [D] love…….
And [Am7] I was too [D7] young to [G] know.