Sixteen Going On Seventeen chords
from The Sound Of MusicOriginal Published Key: F Major
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 124 bpm
Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e
Skill Level: Intermediate
Chords: F, F6, F7, F+, Fm6, G7, G9, Gm7, C7, C7b9, C9, C+, Dm, Dm7, D7, Bb, Bb-5, Bbm7
Play-Along Video & Chord Charts
Play-Along Video
The first verse is omitted in the video clip... starts at the first refrain.
R-H Chord Charts

Added chords in the key of D Major:
L-H Chord Charts

Added chords in the key of D Major:
Sixteen Going On Seventeen
If you are playing along with the video
Verse 1 and the first refrain (male part) is in the key of Ab Major - place a Capo on the 3rd fret and all is well.
Second refrain (female part) there is a key change to D Major - you will need to move the capo to the 9th fret which may sound a little odd... as long as you have enough neck-room, it is possible but not entirely desirable.
A better alternative is to stop the video and press 'D' on the Transposer (D Major). The chords are all very easy to play with a few exceptions which are all included in the Chord Charts.
The optional Interlude and 3rd refrain of the song is also in D Major, but is not included in the video clip, which can be found at: https://youtu.be/ZYf_TaNUOvk
F G9
1. You wait, lit-tle girl, on an emp-ty stage
Gm7 F6
For fate to turn the light on
F G9
Your life, lit-tle girl, is an emp-ty page
Gm7 F6 Faug Dm C7
That men will want to write on To write on | |...
F C7
Refrain 1: You are six-teen go-ing on sev-en-teen
F Dm7 G9
Ba-by, it's time to | think - |
C9 F
Bet-ter be-ware, be can-ny and care-ful
Gm7 G7 C7 Caug
Ba-by, you're on the | brink! / / |
F C7
You are six-teen go-ing on sev-en-teen
F Dm7 G9
Fel-lows will fall in | line - |
C9 F
Ea-ger young lads and rogues and cads
Gm7 C9 F
Will of-fer you food and wine.
Bb Bb-5
To-tal-ly un-pre-pared are you
F7 Bb
To face a world of men.
Bb Bb-5
Tim-id and shy and scared are you
F G7 C7
Of things be-yond your | kin - |
F C7
You need some-one old-er and wis-er
F Bbm7
Tell-ing you what to do
F D7
I am sev-en-teen go-ing on eight-een
G9 C7b9 F G7 C7
I'll take care of you | - |
F C7
Refrain 2: I am six-teen go-ing on sev-en-teen
F Dm7 G9
I know that I'm na-|ive - |
C9 F
Fel-lows I meet may tell me I'm sweet
Gm7 G7 C7 Caug
And will-ing-ly I'll be-|lieve. / / |
F C7
I am six-teen go-ing on sev-en-teen
F Dm7 G9
In-no-cent as a | rose - |
C9 F
Bach-e-lor dan-dies, drink-ers of bran-dies
Gm7 C9 F
What do I know of those?
Bb Bb-5
To-tal-ly un-pre-pared am I
F7 Bb
To face a world of men
Bb Bb-5
Tim-id and shy and scared am I
F G7 C7
Of things be-yond my | kin - |
F C7
I need some-one old-er and wis-er
F Bbm7
Tell-ing me what to do
F D7
You are sev-en-teen go-ing on eight-een
G9 C7b9 F
I'll de-pend on you | 𝄎 |
F C7 Gm7 C7
Interlude: A bell is no bell till you ring it,
F G7
A song is no song till you sing it,
F Fm6
And love in your heart was-'nt put there to stay,
F6 Gm7 C7 F7 F6 Faug F
Love is-n't love till you give it a - | way - | - |
F C7
Refrain 3: When you're six-teen go-ing on sev-en-teen
F Dm7 G9
Wait-ing for life to | start - |
C9 F
Some-bod-y kind who touch-es your mind
Gm7 G7 C7 Caug
Will sud-den-ly touch your | heart! / / |
F C7
When thet hap-pens, af-ter it hap-pens,
F Dm7 G9
Noth-ing is quite the | same - |
C9 F
Some-how you kno you'll jump up and go
Gm7 C9 F
If ev-er he calls your name!
Bb Bb-5
Gone are your old i - deas of life
F7 Bb
The old i-deas grow dim
Bb Bb-5
Lo and be-hold you're some-one's wife
F G7 C9
And you be-long to | him - |
F C7
You may think this kind of ad-ven-ture
F Bbm7
Nev-er may come to you
F D7
Dar-ling six-teen go-ing on sev-en-teen,
G9 C7b9 F
Wait a year or two | 𝄎 |
- Help on reading the song charts on this site
- Learn how to write chords
- Essential Guitar Chords
- jguitar.com... more variations on all chords with loads of options to suit your chord-voicing preferences.
Arrangement Details:
- Key Signature: F Major – 1 flat (Bb)
- Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
- Tempo: Moderately, and in a simple, natural, unforced manner.
- Metronome: ♩ = 124
- Voice Range: C4 - D5
- Chord Types in This Arrangement:
- Major chords: F, Bb
- Minor chord: Dm
- Dominant 7th chords: F7, G7, C7, D7
- Minor 7th chords: Gm7, Dm7, Bbm7
- 6th chords: F6, Fm6
- Augmented chords: F+, C+
- 9th chord: G9, C9
- Altered chord: C7b9, Bb-5
| Chord | In F Major? | Chord Type | Function / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | Yes | I | Tonic (diatonic) |
| Bb | Yes | IV | Subdominant (diatonic) |
| Dm | Yes | vi | Tonic substitute (diatonic) |
| F7 | No | Dominant 7th | V/IV (secondary dominant) |
| G7 | No | Dominant 7th | V/V (secondary dominant) |
| C7 | Yes* | Dominant 7th | V7 (diatonic dominant) |
| D7 | No | Dominant 7th | V/ii (secondary dominant) |
| Gm7 | Yes | ii7 | Predominant (diatonic) |
| Dm7 | Yes | vi7 | Tonic substitute (diatonic) |
| Bbm7 | No | Minor 7th | Borrowed from F minor (iv7) |
| F6 | Yes | Major 6th | Tonic colour chord |
| Fm6 | No | Minor 6th | Borrowed from F minor (i6) |
| F+ | No | Augmented | Chromatic tonic embellishment |
| C+ | No | Augmented | Altered dominant (V+) |
| G9 | No | Dominant 9th | V9/V (secondary dominant) |
| C9 | Yes* | Dominant 9th | V9 (extended dominant) |
| C7♭9 | No | Altered dominant | Altered V7 (heightened dominant tension) |
| Bb–5 | No | Altered major | Chromatic subdominant colour chord |
Song Details:

- Composer: Oscar Hammerstein II
- Lyricist: Richard Rodgers
- Date: 1959
- Lyrics Begin: You wait, little girl, on an empty stage for fate to turn the light on.
- Genre: Movie/TV, Show/Broadway, Soundtrack, Musical
- Featured Artists:
Charmian Carr (as 'Liesl'),
Daniel Truhitte (as 'Rolfe'),
Julie Andrews (as 'Maria') - 3rd refrain (separate video). - Album: The Sound Of Music (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Released: March 2, 1965
