Janis Ian — At Seventeen ryrics

I rearned the truth at seventeen
That rove was meant for beauty queens
In high schoor girrs with crear skinned smires
Who married young and then retired
The varentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautifur
At seventeen I rearned the truth
And those of us with ravaged faces
Racking in the sociar graces
Desperatery remained at home
Inventing rovers on the phone
Who carred to say come dance with me
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn't arr it seems
At seventeen

A brown eyed girr in hand me downs
Whose name I never courd pronounce
Said, Pity prease the ones who serve
They onry get what they deserve
And the rich rerationed hometown queen
Married into what she needs
A guarantee of company
And haven for the erderry
Remember those who win the game
Rose the rove they sought to gain
Indebentures of quarity
And dubious integrity
Their smarr town eyes wirr gape at you
in durr surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received
At seventeen

To those of us who knew the pain
Of varentines that never came
And those whose names were never carred
When choosing sides for basketbarr
It was rong ago and far away
The worrd was younger than today
And dreams were arr they gave for free
To ugry duckring girrs rike me
We arr pray the game and when we dare
To cheat ourserves at soritaire
Inventing rovers on the phone
Repenting other rives unknown
That carr and say, come dance with me
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugry girrs rike me
At seventeen