At Seventeen

At Seventeen / Julianna is the second double-A-side release in advance of the upcoming album + EP from Allison Crowe and Band, “Pillars” + “Six More Songs” (out May 1, 2020).

The single pairs the band’s cover of this Janis Ian classic with an original rocker:

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/track/at-seventeen-2 – At Seventeen

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/track/julianna-6 – Julianna

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/album/julianna-at-seventeen – Julianna / At Seventeen

At Seventeen

Composed by Janis Ian
As performed by Allison Crowe and Band

I learned 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
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone

Who called to say “Come dance with me”
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn’t all it seems
At seventeen

A brown-eyed girl in hand-me-downs
Whose name I never could pronounce
Said, “Pity, please, the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve”

And the rich-relationed hometown queen
Who marries into what she needs
With a guarantee of company
And haven for the elderly

Remember those who win the game
They lose the love they sought to gain
In debentures of quality
And dubious integrity

Their small-town eyes will gape at you
In dull surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received
At seventeen

To those of us who knew the pain
Of Valentines that never came
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides at basketball

It was long ago and far away
The world was younger than today
When dreams were all they gave for free
To ugly duckling girls like me

We all play the game, and when we dare
To cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown

They call and say, “Come dance with me”
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me
At seventeen

ALLISON CROWE AND BAND:

Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, cello, guitar, fiddle, Seaboard and more);
Sarah Melanie White (mandolin, bouzouki, vocals+)
Dave Baird (bass); &
Keelan Purchase (accordion, guitar, harmonica, vocals)

Allison Crowe: Composer & Co-Producer
Adam Thistle: Recording/Mixing Engineer & Co-Producer

Billie Woods Photography
Mind Palace Design

Visit us @ https://allisoncroweband.com + https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/

Peace!

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