...AT SEVENTEEN... by Janis Ian ------------------............. *from 'Between the Lines' (1975)* Verse 1:

I ^Clearned the truth at seventeen, That ^Dmlove was meant for beauty queens. And ^G7high school girls with clear skinned smiles, Who ^Cmarried young and then retired.

The ^CValentines I never knew, The ^DmFriday nights charades of youth. Were ^G7spent on one more beautiful; At ^Cseventeen, I learned the truth.

Chorus 1:

And ^Ebthose of us with ravaged faces,^Dm lacking in the ^G7social graces, ^Cm7 Desperately re-^Fm7mained at home,^Cm7 inventing lovers ^Fm7on the phone. Who ^Abcalled and say; "^G7come dance with me", And ^Cm7murmured vague ob-^F7scenities. ^Dm7 It isn't all it seems, at ^G7seventeen.

Verse 2:

A ^Cbrown eyed girl in hand-me-downs, Who's ^Dmname I never could pronounce, Said; &^G7quot;pity please, the ones who serve, They ^Conly get what they deserve.

The ^Crich relationed home-town queen,^Dm marries into what she needs. A ^G7guarantee of company, and ^Chaven for the elderly".

Chorus 2:

Re-^Ebmember those who win the game,^Dm lose the love they ^G7sought to gain. In ^Cm7debentures of ^Fm7quality, and ^Cm7dubious in-^Fm7tegrity. Their ^Absmall town eyes will ^G7gape at you; In ^Cm7dull surprise, when ^Fm7payment due; ^Dm7 Exceeds accounts received, at ^G7seventeen.

Verse 3:

To ^Cthose of us who know the pain, of ^Dmvalentines that never came. And ^G7those whose name were never called, When ^Cchoosing side at basketball.

It ^Cwas long ago and far away, the ^Dmworld was younger than today. And ^G7dreams were all they gave for free, To ^Cugly duckling girls like me.

Chorus 3:

We all ^Ebplay the game and when we dare, to ^Dm7cheat ourselves at ^G7solitaire. In-^Cm7venting lovers ^Fm7on the phone, re-^Cm7penting other ^Fm7lives unknown.

That ^Abcall and say; "^G7Come dance with me", And ^Cm7murmur vague ob-^Fm7scenities, Dm7 G7 C, Cmaj7 At ugly girls like me; at seventeen.

CHORD DIAGRAMS: --------------- C Dm G7 Eb Dm7 Cm7 Fm7 Ab Cmaj7 EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE x32010 xx0231 323000 x68886 x57565 x35343 131111 466544 x32000 Tabbed by Joel from cLuMsY, Bristol, England, 2004 (clumsyband@hotmail.com)

Janis Ian - At seventeen