While it takes time and effort to achieve success, there are those who have been able to make their mark from day one. Janis Ian proves this point with the fact that at 12 years old she was writing songs for herself-and they ended up on her debut album!
Ian who is celebrating her birthday today is a great example of what can be achieved when you put your mind to it and work hard. So, if you're feeling discouraged, remember that it is possible to achieve your goals-it just might take a little longer than you originally thought.
One of Janis Ian's most well-known songs is "At Seventeen." The song is a coming-of-age anthem about the struggles of being a teenager. It's a relatable song that has resonated with people for decades.
When asked about the song, Janis Ian said that what she like best about 'At Seventeen' is that it's become this generational anthem. It seems to speak to every generation in a different way, but it always speaks to them.
"At Seventeen" is a coming-of-age song about the insecurity and loneliness that comes with being a teenager. The lyrics are full of angst and despair, but they're also full of hope and resilience. It's a song that perfectly captures the teenage experience.
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...
So remember those who win the game
Lose the love they sought to gain
In debitures 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 knew 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
when dreams were all they gave for free
to ugly duckling girls like me...
We all play the game, and when we dare
We cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown
That call and say: "Come on, dance with me"
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me, at seventeen...
Janis Ian "At Seventeen" Lyrics Meaning Interpreted
The lyrics of "At Seventeen" are often taken to be autobiographical, and they may well be. But even if they're not, they still perfectly capture the experience of being a teenager. The song is full of insecurity and loneliness, but it's also full of hope and resilience.
In the first verse, Ian seems to describe the feeling of being an outsider looking in on the world of grown-ups. She feels like she's "on the outside looking in" on their lives. It's a feeling that many teenagers can relate to.
In the second verse, Ian seems to talk about how her teenage years were spent trying to fit in and be like everyone else. She changed her clothes and her hair, and she tried to act like she didn't care. But deep down, she was still the same person.
In the chorus, Ian seems to talk about how she wished someone had told her that it was okay to be different. The same way everyone want to be told we don't have to change ourselves to fit in.
The third verse is about the future. Ian seems to talk about how she's finally starting to feel comfortable in the way she looks. She's found her own voice and she's ready to use it.
The final verse is about looking back on your teenage years in hindsight. Ian seems to say that when she looks back, she can see all the things she did wrong. But she also sees all the things she did right. And she's grateful for all of it because it made her the person she is today.
