6/02/2010

Try 17

This song by Janis Ian - At Seventeen (1975). I thought I've heard it before, turns out I did. Albeit, Sitti's version, which I did have a copy in my media player. I actually like Sitti's version more (blasphemous I know) for its heightened bossa flavor, but also prevented me from focusing on the lyrics, which is beautiful and sad.
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...

 [ I don't really like naming my favorites out loud but yes, 17 is actually my fave number because that's when I was born and sort of have had a superstitious, almost, affinity with it, 7 especially. So there.]

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