Janis Ian "At Seventeen" I leaned the truth at seventeen that love was meant for beauty queens And high school girls with clear-skinned smiles who married young and then retired. The valentines I never knew, the Friday night charades of youth Were spent on one more beautiful. At seventeen I learned the truth. And those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social graces, Desperatly remained...

Boy I really tied one on Spent the night away from home I know you're not to blame if I can't recall your name and I'm sorry if it causes you pain Boy I really lost my head I woke up in a double bed Allow me the pleasure of taking your measure though I'm sure you ain't nobody's treasure And I know it isn't ladylike to do what I've done tonight chorus Wake up I've got news for you Nobody's knoc...

And when the war was over I went dancing in the streets with the corpse of my dead brother to the sacrificial beat the Boy Scouts and the Legionnaires come home from overseas singing Glory Hallelujah to the swank Gestapo beat Hallelujah I've never been In the whole of my life an intelligent sacrifice Hallelujah Give me a reason to go on believing and I'm ready to pay the price I heard of a pla...

I'm leaving by night I'm leaving alone I'm leaving it lie When you waken I'll be gone I would not beg for me As I would not beg for you Though I'd like to be the one To see you through Every step you have taken Disappears with the tide You're torn up and shaken With changing your mind You haven't got the grace To say you'll finally decide And you haven't got the strength To stay and fight Thos...

The days are okay I watch the TV in the afternoon If I get lonely The sound of other voices Other rooms are near to me I'm not afraid The operator She tells the time It's good for a laugh There's always radio And for a dime I can talk to God Dial-a-prayer Are you there? Do you care? Are you there? And in the winter extra blankets for the cold Fix the heater, getting old I am wiser now, I know,...

Lay down and slumber Mama's boy is torn asunder All the fields have gone grey All the leaves are gone brown Let me tell you a story Lay own, I know you're weary While the star's in the sky While the moon's on the rise Lay down and don't you wake till morning Close your eyes and helpless through the night Lay down and dream of love and glory This is a lover's lullabye Once was a magician Fair h...

She never had too much of money Friendly strangers were all she knew Nobody ever came to call but you I would not say she isn't happy though the eyes of a fool will make her blue Nobody's ever seen the tears It's true I guess nobody wanted to We'll have a celebration Ice cream and candy cakes She's very young to go so far away And then there'll be the papers in black and white to say we're thr...

I'm still in love though I don't care to let you know there's something there it doesn't show but when you're near silly habits mean a lot I've been alone now for quite some time, it's true but every night when I come home I'm coming home to you I listen for your footsteps Sometimes I even knock Silly habits mean a lot I've been parading and I've led a lot astray Why bother waiting? when you c...

Faithful is a lie Freedom's just a game somebody tacked onto your ball and chain Love is a drug You've been canonized Want to be a high priestess? then you got to sacrifice Somebody wants you to put out your eyes and drag you lower on the ladder than he is Reel you in slowly kingfish on a line Some people get a kick out of making you suffer You try the patience of the gods in the heat of a mom...

I was never one for singing what I really feel Except tonight, I'm bringing everything I know that's real Stars, they come and go They come fast or slow They go like the last light of the sun, all in a blaze and all you see is glory But it gets lonely there when there's no one here to share We can shake it away if you'll hear a story People lust for fame Like athletes in a game we break our co...

I want to lie by your side and watch the tide run over Lay your head upon my shoulder I want to lie by the bed and send my head out reeling Honey, lay this feeling down I'm ready to ride chorus Sweet sympathy, won't you pity me tonight? Yes I got to hurry to the surry get the saddle on tight Honey won't you let me? Honey just allow me Honey, won't you pleasure me right? Sweet sympathy, won't y...

I gave a party I said you could come You showed up at your door with all your leathers on I said This must be wrong It can't be right How can you make love to me dressed up for a fight? Pick me up off the floor No more -- 'cause you surely can't be mine Religion came almost overnight You were the high priest I was the sacrifice I said This must be wrong This can't be right Take off your stupid...

Would you like to learn to sing? Would you like to sing my song? Would you like to learn to love me best of all? Anyone can learn the words And the melody's so plain This is my song to bring you back again I'll teach you how to sing and dance With a song and dance routine And when the party's over You can fall in love with me Would you like to learn to tango? Do you dance the light fandango? T...