The City That Never Stays the Same: Sharon Van Etten’s ‘Seventeen’ and the Ephemeral Nature of New York
There’s something about New York City that makes it irresistible to artists. It’s not just the skyline or the energy—it’s the way the city feels like a living, breathing entity, constantly shedding its skin. Personally, I think that’s why there are more songs about New York than any other city. It’s not just a place; it’s a mirror reflecting our own changes, our own fleeting moments of youth, ambition, and loss. Sharon Van Etten’s ‘Seventeen’ captures this beautifully, but what makes this particularly fascinating is how she avoids the trap of nostalgia. Instead, she confronts the city’s—and her own—impermanence head-on.
The City as a Character
New York has always been a muse, but Van Etten treats it less like a backdrop and more like a co-protagonist. From my perspective, this is where her song diverges from the countless others that romanticize the city. She doesn’t just sing about New York; she dialogues with it. The line, ‘Downtown harks back / Halfway up the street,’ isn’t just a lyric—it’s a meditation on how the city’s past and present coexist, often in tension. What many people don’t realize is that this duality isn’t unique to New York; it’s a universal experience of urban life. But Van Etten’s ability to make it feel personal, almost intimate, is what sets her apart.
The Illusion of Permanence
One thing that immediately stands out is how Van Etten ties the city’s changes to her own. When she sings, ‘I used to be free / I used to be 17,’ she’s not just lamenting lost youth; she’s acknowledging how her perception of the city has shifted. At 17, a closed laundrette or a new storefront might seem trivial. But as you age, you start to see those changes as the erosion of community, of shared history. This raises a deeper question: do we ever truly understand the places we inhabit until it’s too late?
A Love Letter Without Nostalgia
The music video for ‘Seventeen’ is a visual tour of Van Etten’s New York, but it’s far from a glossy tribute. Directed by Maureen Towey, it’s both tender and tough, much like the city itself. What this really suggests is that love for a place doesn’t require blind devotion. You can mourn what’s lost while still appreciating what remains. It’s a mature take on urban nostalgia, one that doesn’t wallow in the past but instead uses it as a lens to understand the present.
The Ephemeral and the Eternal
If you take a step back and think about it, ‘Seventeen’ is as much about time as it is about place. Van Etten’s song echoes Bob Dylan’s ‘Everything passes, everything changes,’ but it also nods to Joni Mitchell’s ‘Something’s lost, but something’s gained.’ This balance between loss and gain is what makes the song so resonant. It’s not just about New York; it’s about the human condition. We’re all 17 once, and we’re all forced to reckon with the passage of time, whether we’re in a bustling metropolis or a quiet town.
Why This Matters Now
In an era where cities are rapidly gentrifying and communities are disappearing, ‘Seventeen’ feels particularly timely. A detail that I find especially interesting is how Van Etten avoids pointing fingers or assigning blame. She’s not angry at the city for changing; she’s sad that it has to. This nuanced perspective is rare in art about urban transformation, which often leans into outrage or sentimentality. Van Etten’s song is neither—it’s a quiet, reflective acknowledgment of the way things are.
The Broader Implications
What this song really suggests is that our relationship with place is deeply tied to our relationship with time. As cities evolve, so do we, and often the two are inseparable. This isn’t just a New York story; it’s a human story. Whether you’re an adopted New Yorker like Van Etten or someone who’s never left their hometown, the feeling of watching something you love slip away is universal.
Final Thoughts
‘Seventeen’ isn’t just a song about New York—it’s a song about growing up, about change, about the things we lose and the things we gain. Personally, I think it’s one of the most honest portrayals of urban life I’ve ever heard. It doesn’t try to capture the city in a single moment; it acknowledges that the city, like us, is always in motion. And maybe that’s the point: the only constant is change. So, the next time you walk down a street that feels different, remember Van Etten’s words. Something’s lost, but something’s gained. And that’s not just a New York story—it’s ours.
