Adele, could we have a word?

Look, I know this is a bit very much late-to-the-party and all, and probably also Dude-just-don’t-pay-that-much-attention-to-a-freaking-pop-song’s-lyrics-JFC, but let me be pedantic for a minute here.

“Rumour Has It” by Adele from her album 21 has the lines

She is half your age
But I’m guessing that’s the reason that you stayed

in it. Now, if you know a bit about Adele, you also know that the number in her album titles refers to [roughly] her age at the time of writing the songs. Nownow, even considering a person that age can be in a relationship with an older man, and there’s nothing wrong with that, really: Anything beyond a ten-year difference is just… weird, isn’t it? [At that age.] Look, I’m not trying to shame anyone with a daddy or mommy complex. You like what and/or who you like for whatever reason. You do you [as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone].

However, considering that, at 21 or 22 [Adele’s age at the time of release of 21 and thus the song], that would mean a relationship with a 32-year-old man. So, half his age would be 16, right? That’s, like… Just… Most jurisdictions would want a word with the guy in that case.

Fuck me, this realisation tonight made the song take a dark turn. I liked it before, now it feels… icky. Yuck.

.oO(Dude, just don’t pay that much attention to a freaking pop song’s lyrics! JFC.)

[It’s still a very good pop song, and the line is fine (brilliant, even) without context.]