Janis Ian: Society's Child with commentary by Leonard Bernstein

[rurallib]

just stumbling around youtube and found a couple of quite interesting Janis Ian vids.
The first is a young Ian singing her once controversial " Society's Child with Bernstein commenting on the music and the message:

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. Thank you!

I'm so old I remember that TV special hosted by Leonard Bernstein. There were other musicians on it too.

[rurallib]

2. I love that song. When I saw the version with Bernstein, it sure piqued my interest

was just delighted with what I saw.

[Atticus]

3. "Society's Child" was great, of course, but it's her lesser-known "At Seventeen" that

still puts a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. From memory---"And those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social grace's, silently remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone, who'd laugh and say 'Come dance with me' and murmur vague obscenities. Life isn't all it seems---at seventeen."

[rurallib]

4. I always thought "At Seventeen" was her biggest hit

We never heard "Society's Child" on the radio up here - I assume because of content.

Either way both "At Seventeen" and "Society's Child" were written by a young woman wise beyond her years.

And now I will have the "At Seventeen" ear worm until it is purged by repeated listenings.