THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

353-Janis Ian-At Seventeen.

1975-Number 54 single.

Best Bit-At 0.47. In the wonderful world of Pop music it is amazing how often the Number 17 occurs, for instance the Beatles saw her standing there, while Joan Jett saw him standing there by the record machine. For Frank Sinatra it was a very good year, and Bobby Goldsbro (see also best songs 942) became a man, but the most famous 17 of them all of course is ‘The Dancing Queen’ (see also best songs 44.)

Janis Ian was born Janis Eddy Fink on April 7th, 1951, in Farmingdale, New Jersey, United States, in 1964 she legally changed her surname to Ian, taking her brother Eric’s middle name. As well as being a singer/songwriter Janis Ian is also an author of Science Fiction, and has had books published. At the age of 13 she wrote the song ‘Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking’) which would eventually become her first hit when reaching Number 14 on Billboard in America in 1967. The song is considered to be ground breaking as it’s subject matter concerned the relationship between an interracial couple, and the effect it had on their family and friends. Even so many radio stations refused to play the song it still managed to eventually become a hit. In 1973 a song with similar subject matter ‘Brother Louie’ by the ‘Stories’ reached Number 1 on Billboard (see also best songs (see also best songs 864.) The discography of Janis Ian consists of 24 studio Albums released between 1967-2022, and 29 singles released between 1967-2010. She has never had a top 40 hit in the UK, but in the States both ‘At Seventeen,’ (Number 3) and ‘Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking’) (Number 14) remain her two charting singles to date.

‘At Seventeen’ was taken from Janis Ian’s seventh studio Album ‘Between the Lines’ from 1975, the song was written by Janis Ian, and produced by Brooks Arthur who had also worked as an engineer previously on ‘Society’s Child,’ Janis Ian first got the idea for the song after reading an article in the ‘New York Times’ about an 18 year old woman who believed her life would improve after attending a debutante ball, but it didn’t. This led to Ian thinking back on her own similar personal experiences as a young teenager, she chose the age of 17 as it fit well into the song.

‘At Seventeen’ is a song about the illusion of popularity, society’s beauty standards, and adolescent cruelty as told from the point of view of a woman who was an ‘Ugly Duckling’ as a girl in high school, while the popular girls got all the attention. Janis Ian has said of the song,’To me it’s not a depressing song, it says ‘Ugly Duckling girls like me,’ and to me the Ugly Duckling always turns into a swan. It offers hope that there is a world out there of people who understand.’

‘And those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social graces, desperately remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone.’