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Ray :) | all galleries >> Galleries >> Songs from My Lens > At Seventeen
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16-JAN-2007 IMG_101835

At Seventeen

Written and Performed by Janis Ian (1975)


I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired.
The Valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth.
And those of us with ravaged faces
Lacking in the social graces
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone
Who called to say come dance with me
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems
At seventeen.

A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
Whose name I never could pronounce
Said, "Pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve."
The rich relationed hometown queen
Marries into what she needs
With a guarantee of company
And haven for the elderly.
Remember those who win the game
Lose the love they sought to gain
In debentures of quality
And dubious integrity.
Their small town eyes will gape at you
In dull surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received
At seventeen.

To those of us who know the pain
Of Valentines that never came,
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides for basketball.
It was long ago and far away
The world was younger than today
And dreams were all they gave for free
To ugly duckling girls like me.
We all play the game and when we dare
To cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown
That call and say, come dance with me
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me
At seventeen.

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
1/15s f/2.8 at 100.0mm iso200 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time16-Jan-2007 13:51:57
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 20D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length100 mm
Exposure Time1/15 sec
Aperturef/2.8
ISO Equivalent200
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Modepartial (6)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programmanual (4)
Focus Distance

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David Buzzeo18-Nov-2008 05:47
Great photo for a great song. I saw Janis Ian at the Edmonton Folk Festival. I was a moving performance. V
Sean16-Apr-2007 10:19
I dedicated this song to Diane's mum and dad on their Anniversary 10 or so years ago. I think it was radio two that played it, they loved the song. A a fond memory

I was born in 71.

(tell you what son, my 15inch monitor is not cutting it)
Guest 04-Apr-2007 08:40
great shot !!
Christine P. Newman25-Feb-2007 17:50
I love those song themes. But I am not seventeen yet... Learning some of those secrets...
Guest 05-Feb-2007 13:01
Superb
Victoria04-Feb-2007 11:10
This is wonderful, i watch the clips, purely beautiful
Gail Davison04-Feb-2007 10:37
I can hardly remember being 17 - 16 and 18 but not 17! mmm... can't have been good hehe.
Roe..04-Feb-2007 03:57
a friend sent me a copy of that song..thanks for the reminder :) wonderful addition to your gallery...
Dan Chusid04-Feb-2007 02:39
She just played here locally last month.
I of course missed the show...
Naomi 04-Feb-2007 01:57
I have that recording by Janis Ian, on vinyl, and yes, it's a good one. GMV
Faye White04-Feb-2007 01:16
one of my all time favorite songs.
Sabine Stetson04-Feb-2007 01:14
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U2IGt-3IBPI

beautiful song, great artist, one of my favorites...this one was recorded 1975....
i dont recall ever being seventeen...different times, different country..

oh, nice picture too....ray:))))))

Karen Leaf04-Feb-2007 00:20
yep, that was my 17th year. And every time I hear that song (one of my all time favorites) I can feel the heartbreak. I'm gonna be singing all night. Thanks for the memories.
Guest 03-Feb-2007 23:44
1971...I was...5...and I have no BAD memories about that year....

I LOVE the music from that year!
type03-Feb-2007 23:19
Never been there. What's it like? ;)
Robin Reid03-Feb-2007 22:47
Provocative song and memories. I think most of us had agonies at that age.