...Their small town eyes will gape at you in dull surprise, when payment due exceeds accounts received... A wonderful song by an under appreciated artist!!
The music is marvelous, but those lyrics ... so descriptive, so colorful, so melancholy and painfully personal. Many, many listeners identified with this song, which helps to explain its great success in the summer of 1975.
Always loved this song. High school can be so hard for some. Kids can so cruel when egos are so fragile. I hope I didn't need to be reminded to stay humble but whenever I hear this song it reminds me to take a look in the mirror every once in awhile. Wonderful song and reaction -- thank you, Michael and Harri.
My Anthem song ,I was a ugly ducking ,but at 21 became a beautiful swan. This song hit home .Janis Ian thank you for letting girls like me know we aren't the only ones .🎵🎶💗
I was in high school when this came out. Small, not particularly popular, couldn't find a date let alone a girlfriend. This was my song. Thanks for this reaction, Harri.
You must react to her song Societies Child . The song was banned from the radio and she received death threats because of the song and she was only 14 when she performed it
I'm so glad you listened to this song, Harri. This is from the soundtrack of my life. You've been playing a lot of those songs lately. You are the best!
I remember tearing up at this song and everytime there after. I have always been extremely empathetic and I could feel every word she sang. VERY POWERFUL! 😮
@@lllutzkeIndeed. She was over in Dublin a few weeks back to receive an award and played guitar with a number of people celebrating her songwriting skills.
Realising I wasn’t going to turn into a swan that I had been hoping for, started losing friends, everyone was dating, getting asked out, very lonely frightening time.
I remember how this song touched me back in the seventies when I first heard it. I remembered how lonely I felt at seventeen. I was not popular in school, I never played sports, and I was a poor country kid that never stood out. Beautiful song this young lady had something that the other girls didn't have, she had that voice.
Another song and artist you would love is Phoebe Snow-Poetry Man. I used to listen to these two songs one after the other regularly for years. I'm sure many of your viewers would also love to hear Phoebe's voice again. Great work man.
Her earlier song "Society's Child" is more relevant to me because of my age. I graduated High School 5 years before "At Seventeen" came out. Both songs are beautiful and just as relevant now as they were then.
Classic song that never gets old .. For something a little bit stylistically different from Janis, check out her 1979 hit "Fly Too High", co-written and produced by Georgio Moroder .. It's a more upbeat and dancey number, and her vocals are very smokey, sultry and sensual .. I'm sure you'd enjoy it, Harri.
Janis Ian is a great singer-songwriter from the 60's-70's who dealt with serious issues. At the age of 14 Ian wrote & recorded her first hit single "Society's Child" 66/67 about an interracial romance that was looked down on by parents & others. Another big hit was "At Seventeen" in 1975 which talks about adolescent cruelty & the illusion of popularity.
Always loved her voice and her lyrics. [edit] I never considered her "beautiful" in the classical sense, but she does have a face with character, a face that remained while beauty faded. She also is build quite slender. Neither of these qualities will draw much attention of mid to late-teen boys; they will go for the voluptuous blonde. Those are qualities you learn to appreciate with age. I however don't think it was an autobiographical song.
She said it was while explaining how she compared her small stature and what she felt at the time less attractive face and dark hair, so I'd say yeah, it was autobiographical.
Thank you, Harri, for getting it about Janis Ian. I might well have been one of those girls she thought had it all, but all was not as it seemed in the day. Janis Ian was way ahead of me.
"In debentures of quality and dubious integrity". This literally is poetry set to music, and the truth is so real. I knew so many girls and guys who fit the role Janis is singing about. So, so real.
I never could understand how Janis Ian could sing this song. When watched this video I had never realized how women could be SO beautiful until I saw her (1975).
This is a wonderful song. When you are in High School you think it will always be that social status. If I could tell them all of that goes away. Great request. Great reaction Harri
I was just thinking about this song yesterday. Great minds think alike. Her first hit record as a teenager was in the late 1960s. She's been around a little while and still working/recording.
I've followed Janis ever since my sister bought the single of "Society's Child" when it first came out in the '60s. Saw her in concert in 2016, too. BTW, she follows UA-cam reactions and she might very well comment here.
You have to react to “Society’s child”, she wrote the song when she was 14 and it’s about an interracial relationship. Janis is one of the most amazing and underrated songwriters.
Hi Harri !!! Great reaction. If you like her, there was another awesome artist like this at the time, Phoebe Snow. She has a couple really awesome songs all off her eponymous album like Poetry Man (much like this song), Harpo's Blues (of course, a sweet blues song) and Let The Good Times Roll (funky blues number). Phoebe was "hotter" than her hits and was sought after by many peers, and even did a pretty famous duet with Linda Ronstadt on SNL.
Michael, this is such a profound song and so well written and performed by one so young. It was a huge hit for very good reasons. This was a wonderful request and review. Thanks Harri and Michael 🌺✌️
I was a teen when this came out and I felt this to my core. I had black curly hair and acne - it hit for sure! I am now 62 and married a guy from high school 15 years ago. He remembers me from back then and does not think of me that way - people view you in a much better way than what we do at that age.
I love songs that tell a profound story and this one really hits home for a lot of people I'm sure. You add hope to the song about later in life and I think that could be true, but not so sure. Great song.
I'm not terribly big on this song. A little slow for me. But her album Song for All the Seasons of Your Mind is in my top 10 of all time. It finishes with "Insanity Comes Quietly to the Structured Mind". A song that rivals the Doors at their best.
This song resonates with probably 90% of teenage girls and boys. It's only when you get age and wisdom that you realize that those who looked down on you back then were the ones who were more insecure than you ever were because they had to have all of the attention in order to thrive where you thrived through it all, if that makes sense to anyone.
Harri, I think you should be transparent that this is a rerun of a reaction you did two years ago. Your cover photo shows a different recording of her and you in different dress, and when it is played, surprise, it's you in your dated outfit from two years ago. I guess the good news is I have subscribed long enough to recognize it.
The ladies were not alone. I was shorter than everybody else, very poor, not at athletic. My brothers were both popular as was my sister. I grew up in very small town Texas and had the audacity to be different. I was smart and artistic... And gay... Very closeted I thought... All things you're not allowed to be in small town Texas back in the 70s and 80s. I left immediately after high school and went to college and discovered I was plenty cool after all and had lots of friends and morphed into a better looking version of myself. Late bloomers are great. Those that bloom really early and peak early. And treat others unkindly.... The laugh is on them
Janis Ian's career peaked too low despite her being an extremely talented vocalist. As Janis says at the beginning of this song, she was never accepted because she didn't fit the Barbie Doll look. Yet appearance was rarely a problem for males, and that continues today. Susan Boyle's debut performance on AGT best highlighted my own thoughts on this matter. Janis Ian's songbook is well worth exploring, and you will quickly find that she was underappreciated as a great vocalist instead of having been 'bullied' and made to feel 'less than'. This was an excellent submission choice by Michael and a fine review by Harri. 👏👏
For all of us who were the weirdos, this was our song. Viva la Weirdo!
this song is still powerful for alot of women who had a rough time back then....I know it still haunts me
One of the most powerfully sad songs ever written... and perfectly performed by Janis.
...Their small town eyes will gape at you in dull surprise, when payment due exceeds accounts received... A wonderful song by an under appreciated artist!!
My Favorite Janice Ian is “Society’s Child”
^this^
I remember when some radio stations wouldn't play that song. Too controversial at the time.
Janis.
She wrote that song about her self and sang it just perfectly for the sadness that it represented
Could not have said it any better.
The music is marvelous, but those lyrics ... so descriptive, so colorful, so melancholy and painfully personal. Many, many listeners identified with this song, which helps to explain its great success in the summer of 1975.
Thank you Harri…. Yes, this song was poignant and personal for many young girls.
Remember the Ugly Duckling story. It turns into a beautiful swan. This song has Brazilian Bossa Nova undertones.
Beautiful song by a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice!❤🙌🏾
Always loved this song. High school can be so hard for some. Kids can so cruel when egos are so fragile. I hope I didn't need to be reminded to stay humble but whenever I hear this song it reminds me to take a look in the mirror every once in awhile. Wonderful song and reaction -- thank you, Michael and Harri.
I've always said that if you can survive high school you can survive anything.
My Anthem song ,I was a ugly ducking ,but at 21 became a beautiful swan. This song hit home .Janis Ian thank you for letting girls like me know we aren't the only ones .🎵🎶💗
I totally understand what she was saying 😢
I was in high school when this came out. Small, not particularly popular, couldn't find a date let alone a girlfriend. This was my song. Thanks for this reaction, Harri.
Thank you for your reaction. The line that hits me is "Who's name was never called when choosing sides for basketball." That was me too. Thank you
You must react to her song Societies Child . The song was banned from the radio and she received death threats because of the song and she was only 14 when she performed it
I dont remember, have you done "Societies Child" by Janice Ian?
Societies child great song
I am closer to 70 than 17 now, and this still grabs me the heart strings.
I'm so glad you listened to this song, Harri. This is from the soundtrack of my life. You've been playing a lot of those songs lately. You are the best!
Mine too 😢
This is the song I want played at my funeral.
I remember tearing up at this song and everytime there after. I have always been extremely empathetic and I
could feel every word she sang. VERY POWERFUL! 😮
She's still singing beautifully. I saw her in concert a few times when she's in her sixties. She's only 4' 11" tall
Sadly, she developed scarring on her vocal chords a couple of years ago which prevents her from singing.
@@Macilmoyle oh no,. That's a pity. I think she could still be very entertaining with her story telling and excellent guitar skills. 😢
@@lllutzkeIndeed. She was over in Dublin a few weeks back to receive an award and played guitar with a number of people celebrating her songwriting skills.
This is such a great song because it is so universal
Stunning song that many of us can relate to.
Realising I wasn’t going to turn into a swan that I had been hoping for, started losing friends, everyone was dating, getting asked out, very lonely frightening time.
This song was a huge hit. Always on the radio
Yes Harri, you nailed it. It’s a song for those of us who always felt second best in school. And Janis is an amazing artist ❤
I remember how this song touched me back in the seventies when I first heard it. I remembered how lonely I felt at seventeen. I was not popular in school, I never played sports, and I was a poor country kid that never stood out. Beautiful song this young lady had something that the other girls didn't have, she had that voice.
Another song and artist you would love is Phoebe Snow-Poetry Man. I used to listen to these two songs one after the other regularly for years. I'm sure many of your viewers would also love to hear Phoebe's voice again. Great work man.
Love Janis and her music. Thanks Harri.
Wonderful live performance. I recall the radio version, and live, she really has the voice.
Her earlier song "Society's Child" is more relevant to me because of my age. I graduated High School 5 years before "At Seventeen" came out. Both songs are beautiful and just as relevant now as they were then.
the saddest most beautiful song ever …
Brilliant song.
Classic song that never gets old .. For something a little bit stylistically different from Janis, check out her 1979 hit "Fly Too High", co-written and produced by Georgio Moroder .. It's a more upbeat and dancey number, and her vocals are very smokey, sultry and sensual .. I'm sure you'd enjoy it, Harri.
Janis Ian is a great singer-songwriter from the 60's-70's who dealt with serious issues. At the age of 14 Ian wrote & recorded her first hit single "Society's Child" 66/67 about an interracial romance that was looked down on by parents & others. Another big hit was "At Seventeen" in 1975 which talks about adolescent cruelty & the illusion of popularity.
Always loved her voice and her lyrics.
[edit]
I never considered her "beautiful" in the classical sense, but she does have a face with character, a face that remained while beauty faded. She also is build quite slender. Neither of these qualities will draw much attention of mid to late-teen boys; they will go for the voluptuous blonde. Those are qualities you learn to appreciate with age. I however don't think it was an autobiographical song.
She said it was while explaining how she compared her small stature and what she felt at the time less attractive face and dark hair, so I'd say yeah, it was autobiographical.
It was definitely autobiographical!
Thank you, Harri, for getting it about Janis Ian. I might well have been one of those girls she thought had it all, but all was not as it seemed in the day. Janis Ian was way ahead of me.
An absolute masterpiece! Her lyrics are impeccable and delivered with such raw emotion. She wrote a ton of other great songs too.
"In debentures of quality and dubious integrity". This literally is poetry set to music, and the truth is so real. I knew so many girls and guys who fit the role Janis is singing about. So, so real.
This may just be the only song with the word debentures in the lyrics.
this tune to me is about bullying which in today's world is revelant !
I never could understand how Janis Ian could sing this song. When watched this video I had never realized how women could be SO beautiful until I saw her (1975).
I've always loved that song! Thank you!
Janis , you're beautiful!
Brilliant song!!❤❤❤❤
It goes to show, the self can’t see their own beauty! Janis was and is very beautiful ❤
This song resonated deeply with me as a young teen.
Wonderful request! Have always loved Janis' songs. You should react to Society's Child released in 67. You'll love it!
I love this tune so much, it touches souls who have empathy and compassion imho, it's iconic for sure.
Thanks Harri for the memories 💕👍
This is a wonderful song. When you are in High School you think it will always be that social status. If I could tell them all of that goes away. Great request. Great reaction Harri
I was just thinking about this song yesterday. Great minds think alike. Her first hit record as a teenager was in the late 1960s. She's been around a little while and still working/recording.
It breaks my heart every time, especially when she sings about “ugly ducklings girls like me”, when she is so absolutely beautiful
Love her. I hadn't seen this performance. Thank you ❤😊
I've followed Janis ever since my sister bought the single of "Society's Child" when it first came out in the '60s. Saw her in concert in 2016, too. BTW, she follows UA-cam reactions and she might very well comment here.
I adore this song I still cry everytime I play it🇺🇸
Few songs move me as much as this one...... Thanks for the excellent choice and reaction.
You have to react to “Society’s child”, she wrote the song when she was 14 and it’s about an interracial relationship. Janis is one of the most amazing and underrated songwriters.
Harri, I can count on you to pick great old songs, some of which i’d never heard. Thank you!
Hi Harri !!! Great reaction. If you like her, there was another awesome artist like this at the time, Phoebe Snow. She has a couple really awesome songs all off her eponymous album like Poetry Man (much like this song), Harpo's Blues (of course, a sweet blues song) and Let The Good Times Roll (funky blues number).
Phoebe was "hotter" than her hits and was sought after by many peers, and even did a pretty famous duet with Linda Ronstadt on SNL.
I remember that duet and recently found it on UA-cam.
Harri I really thank you for this one. She has never gotten he due IMPO! Just so you know, Janis still walks among us! How lucky are we!
Thank Michael, too! He selected it!
Michael, this is such a profound song and so well written and performed by one so young. It was a huge hit for very good reasons. This was a wonderful request and review. Thanks Harri and Michael 🌺✌️
Painfully sublime.
I was a teen when this came out and I felt this to my core. I had black curly hair and acne - it hit for sure! I am now 62 and married a guy from high school 15 years ago. He remembers me from back then and does not think of me that way - people view you in a much better way than what we do at that age.
Society’s Child is amazing.
Lovely ♥️♥️💖💖
I love songs that tell a profound story and this one really hits home for a lot of people I'm sure. You add hope to the song about later in life and I think that could be true, but not so sure. Great song.
It breaks my heart every time, especially when she sings about “ugly ducklin
I was just like her when I was in my teens! I would sit and listen to this song and just cry ! I hated being a teenager
Superior
Cheers sir
Janis Ian's voice: "smoky but not husky" -- very perceptive word choice, as usual
it played a lot on late night radio still does (probably). I think Celine covered it as well as a few dozen other singers
This song came out and n.1975!!
Such a beautiful and poignant song....
Oone of her old albums Between the LInes has great songs on it. Try it.
I'm not terribly big on this song. A little slow for me. But her album Song for All the Seasons of Your Mind is in my top 10 of all time. It finishes with "Insanity Comes Quietly to the Structured Mind". A song that rivals the Doors at their best.
Listen to her song Society’s Child that she recorded 8-9 years before this.
Not just women...anyone who had felt outside
This is much better than the over produced album version.
This song resonates with probably 90% of teenage girls and boys. It's only when you get age and wisdom that you realize that those who looked down on you back then were the ones who were more insecure than you ever were because they had to have all of the attention in order to thrive where you thrived through it all, if that makes sense to anyone.
Harri, I think you should be transparent that this is a rerun of a reaction you did two years ago. Your cover photo shows a different recording of her and you in different dress, and when it is played, surprise, it's you in your dated outfit from two years ago. I guess the good news is I have subscribed long enough to recognize it.
Doesn't just applies to you girls out there, it applies to us boys too!
She said she had ravaged faces.......pimples (spots) and not thin can make you look ugly at 17......she is 25 here and people's looks do change
Try Judy Collins Both Sides Now.
fyi: her first name is spelled Janis
Thank you v much
It applies to guys too. This is for the folks that never quite fit in. Sorry Beach Boys, this is how high school REALLY was for most of us.
The ladies were not alone. I was shorter than everybody else, very poor, not at athletic. My brothers were both popular as was my sister.
I grew up in very small town Texas and had the audacity to be different. I was smart and artistic... And gay... Very closeted I thought...
All things you're not allowed to be in small town Texas back in the 70s and 80s.
I left immediately after high school and went to college and discovered I was plenty cool after all and had lots of friends and morphed into a better looking version of myself.
Late bloomers are great. Those that bloom really early and peak early. And treat others unkindly.... The laugh is on them
Janis Ian's career peaked too low despite her being an extremely talented vocalist. As Janis says at the beginning of this song, she was never accepted because she didn't fit the Barbie Doll look. Yet appearance was rarely a problem for males, and that continues today. Susan Boyle's debut performance on AGT best highlighted my own thoughts on this matter.
Janis Ian's songbook is well worth exploring, and you will quickly find that she was underappreciated as a great vocalist instead of having been 'bullied' and made to feel 'less than'.
This was an excellent submission choice by Michael and a fine review by Harri.
👏👏
I agree she's so pretty. Sounds like alot of bullying
Yes, something Swifty could not sing or relate to
Here she is performing it at 72: ua-cam.com/video/17hp4-2ZmCM/v-deo.html
Lovely song. Her spiteful fantasy about the future of the pretty girl tempers the pity party with crude honesty about the loser's attitude.