Top Ten 1975 Songs: At Seventeen (#4)

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Well, howdy! It’s misting and cool, and yet they keep saying that summer is nigh. I guess. That’s okay, I have hot tea to drink and great music to keep me warm. It’s getting near the end of the look back 50 years to 1975, that great year of change, diversity, and the first year I listened to rock in earnest. Here’s a repeat from the 100 favorites list (as the next two songs also are). #4: At Seventeen - Janis Ian Yes, this is a repeat. Although I generally tried not to rehash all the 1975 songs on the 100 favorites list I couldn’t pass this one up. I lived this song, long before reaching 17. In fact, those two years of sheer happiness and joy at junior high in Daytona Beach shocked me into a false sense of security. I was rudely slapped back into reality about the time this came out (in a conservative Christian private school in Sarasota after we’d moved to the western side of Florida). I was shell shocked: what happened? Did I dream those two years in Daytona? No, it was a real oasis in the desert of life as an “ugly duckling girl.” I don’t know why I wasn’t popular. That was 50, 60 years ago, so now I don’t really care why I wasn’t popular. I just know two things: this song got me through it; and, I wouldn’t trade the life I’ve had since for any popularity contest from then for anything. At Seventeen Written by Janis Ian Recorded by Janis Ian From Between the Lines, 1975 Inventing lovers on the phone: