Feel the rhythm
Fourteen’s all about being free
And that’s what I told people
What I am is free
Even though I’m in love
So I’ll play in the woods with you
So I’ll play in the woods with you
So I’ll run through the river with you
So I’ll run through the river with you
So I’ll climb that tree with you
So I’ll climb that tree with you
So I’ll take that bicycle with you
And I’ll wheel it through the town
‘Cause that’s the kinda thing that people do when they are in love
‘Cause they’ve got their own little song playin’ on repeat in their heart
Some people’s go (you ready)
Shooby do do, oh wop bop do do
Mine goes something like this (listen close)
‘Cause I love you
(Love, love, love, love)
(Love, love, love, love)
(Love, love, love, love)
You can drop me down, pick me up again
If you promise you’ll catch me any day
You can listen to my songs anyway
‘Cause I know you won’t laugh (ha!)
You can wear matching clothes and
Dance along to the radio whilst
We walk back to your house along the main road
And you can drag me ’round Statesmans in my golden pump shoes
‘Cause that’s the kinda thing that people do when they are in love
‘Cause they’ve got their own little song playin’ on repeat in their heart
Some people’s go
Shooby do, oh wop bop do do
Mine goes something like this
‘Cause I love you
‘Cause that’s the kinda thing that people do when they are in love
‘Cause they’ve got their own little song playin’ on repeat in their heart
Some people’s go (yeah)
Shooby do do, oh wop bop do do
Mine goes something like this (yeah)
‘Cause I love you (yeah)
(Love, love, love, love)
(Love, love, love, love)
(Love, love, love, love)
(Love, love, love, love)
(Love, love, love, love)
Back to fourteen
All about bein’ free
Tried to make myself not write this
But it had to be done
Tried to make myself not write it, but it had to be done
Rediscovering Freedom and Young Love
Charli XCX’s “14” captures the exhilarating innocence of adolescence and the thrill of first love. The lyrics offer a nostalgic look back at the freedom and emotional intensity of being fourteen, with imagery of playful adventures—running through rivers, climbing trees, and riding bikes. Charli’s words evoke the giddy, all-consuming feeling of young romance, where love becomes a personal anthem humming through every moment. The repetition of simple, childlike joys emphasizes the purity and spontaneity of these experiences, as the chorus draws a contrast between the universal and the deeply personal ways people express affection.
The Song that Had to Be Written
The refrain, “Tried to make myself not write this, but it had to be done,” hints at the inevitability of self-expression and the need to revisit formative years. Charli XCX crafts a space where vulnerability meets freedom, echoing the lasting impact of first love and the songs it inspires in our hearts.
Song Credits
- Artist: Charli XCX
- Songwriters: Charli XCX
- Release Year: 2024
- Label: Atlantic Records