Janis Ian - At Seventeen (Live, 1976)

[@LyndieBlevins]

This is still as good as it was in 1976, and still speaks to this special age

[@stuffnsuchbylisa]

I was 16 in 1976 and I remember thinking this song was the story of my life! I love this song and it still evokes strong emotion from me when I hear it.

[@Remerdre]

Wow... that's my Uncle Jeff doing the guitar solo. I knew he was in her band for several years, but I was just a kid at the time and didn't know who Janis Ian was. So cool to see him on KZbin, just a typical day at work!

[@Possilpark219]

A work of genius...one of the all time great song. You're no ugly duckling either, Janis. A true beauty.

[@woodfirefly]

A girl friend from high school days introduced this song to me and it took me a very long time to realize that she intended for me to see her pain from this song ....when back in those days, it never occurred to me how lonely she must have felt.

[@TheDisconaut]

I remember hearing "At Seventeen" on the radio when I was very young. I love this song! Not sure why, but, even before I reached my teens, I connected with and strongly related to the feeling of being ostracized and rejected. Janis has the voice of an angel. She softly, yet persistently emotes the heartache & loneliness of being unpopular... The lyrics always moved me deeply... Classic, timeless, wonderful tune.

[@TheZeePeople]

Such a beautiful song from such a beautiful lady.

[@shawnn7502]

Just an amazing piece of writing that is made more beautiful and haunting my her powerful voice. I love when she picks it up, gives you a rush every time.

[@RICHMOND94114]

i saw janis last night 9-16-08 at YOSHI'S in san francisco. it was one of the most amazing concerts i've ever seen. i've seen pink floyd, david bowie, eagles, linda ronstadt, crosby stills nash and young, jefferson starship just to name a few. janis had no props, no lasers, no effects. she had her voice, guitars and heartfelt lifetime of stories. she sang and spoke indelibly. she's relevant in what she sings about and speaks of. THANK YOU JANIS...

[@worldclass64]

Amazing song. Makes me ashamed of some of the stupid thing's I did as a teenager .

[@ShannonMorris]

In her own words - "To me it's never been a depressing song. It says 'ugly duckling girls like me,' and to me the ugly duckling always turns into a swan. It offers hope that there is a world out there of people who understand."

[@herbseitzer]

I saw her on the VERY 1st SNL on NetFlix. Absolutely fantastic. Brought back many good memories from being in my twenties. I was born in 1950 so, in 1970, of course, I was 20. The good ole days....For Real!!!!! Now I'm 62... BOO-HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

[@PhoenixPhire22]

I remember my mom playing this on my 17 th birthday. I had never heard it before but it was on some 'sound of the 70s' cd she happened to get that day. I went in my room and cried my eyes out. I mean I'm a guy but I could still relate to her feelings being conveyed here. I hated my self at that time in my life... Can't say much has changed 10 years later but anyway...

[@SomeoneLikeYou186]

god i love this song. she's so good live. geez

[@steve46111]

great song! you can tell like many of us in highschool Janis lived this song and every lyric she sings is REAL.

[@govcalif]

it shows how wisdom comes too late to many and never to some

[@sammy7819]

It's hard to believe she thought of herself as an ugly duckling, She's a beautiful young woman in this video

[@MrYORKSHIREGUY]

Amazing song. Amazing lady.

[@sbubbb]

I appreciate this song more now than when I was in high school or junior high when this came out........And, as it turns out, looking at this video, Janis was certainly no ugly duckling!.........Wow, what a beautiful song!

[@fametube0000]

janis ian - beautiful then, beautiful now !

[@zidane851]

I first heard this song when i was 22 in 2008, needles to say i was captivated by the power of the lyrics from the first verse! what happened to real musicians like her????

[@MoMoMyPup10]

And it's a 'haunting' ballad because so many people feel it fits them. Back then, nobody knows what's pretty or cute or what the heck they really like even. Their hormones are all over the place! Maturity does wonders for the heart, and the eyes, and it brings to the forefront the things we couldn't see as a youth. The 'humanistic' element where we find our heart and learn how to truly sing. That's where she sings from.

[@rees276]

This song is so beautiful and touches a great many nerves

[@twj1996]

Genius. This is the "Catcher in the Rye" of songs.

[@TeaLeaf222]

This song is beautiful

[@antoine3333]

Just....breath taking...and period!!

[@80sVidLover]

Another powerful live performance from the Old Grey Whistle Test. OGWT has some of the BEST music from teh 70's.

[@earthmother]

wow, a real blast from the past....being a child of the 70s (17 in 1973) this song meant so much, and i never really understood why

[@suejinco]

Real music,thank you Janis

[@avengersteve]

Three people who watched this were tall, blonde cheerleaders. Because what other possible reason is there to dislike this song?

[@PaulineBurke]

@shannonmorris When I look at the girls who got all the boys now, at 51, they look much older and much more tired than I do. I loved this song when I was seventeen in 1977 and its still great. No one else can sing it for me.

[@texasgreeneyes529]

awesome...I can SO relate...

[@allourdogs]

magnificent - heartbreakingly beautiful -so many 17 year old ave suffered this way

[@TheCc4238]

I remember.....how surprised later on when I would see people from my youth that couldn't help but remark on how "beautiful I turned out to be...." how much nicer it would have been if they would have seen it than......

[@kanaka1893]

Seriously you don't hear this kind of music anymore and I don't mean the sound or the genre or even the style. It's from human experience and feeling, sad that most people can't even sing the songs they hear or even remember them because they recall a moment like these songs did for many. What happened and when did it change?

[@windridr66]

People need to remember this outer shell is just that. Our true beauty lies within us all. We are all perfect and beautiful in our own ways.

[@homeworkupload]

it grips at the heart...

[@geertschriever]

oh my god she is so belle and this song still breaks your heart

[@Punner19]

just perfect - beautiful.

[@DiVaDuVaLL]

i also learned the truth at 17 this song has been w/me every since~DD

[@meggianna17]

I just saw this for the first time on the complete first season of Saturday Night. She was the first musical guest with the first guest host, George Carlin. This song is so sadly beautiful. I was in awe when she started singing. On SNL, her voice was very powerful, it boomed in the room and bounced off the walls.

[@Marashor]

Heartfelt song, such truth, takes A LOT of courage to admit to such! ♥♥♥ M ♥♥♥♥

[@mrreptilebrain]

When Janis Ian released this song, she was considered a washed-up one-hit-wonder from her song Society's Child, which she recorded when she was 13. She essentially launched a second career at age 25.

[@REFFF5501]

I think everybody go trough something like this...good song.......

[@tarponbytes]

i'm so happy to have found this video. i guess i too am hard on myself, but back then this was a fav song of mine

[@bettyswollex]

beautiful..

[@recruiter40]

Some people get the illusion of happiness, and for others there is no illusions at all

[@big6corde]

je possède encore le vinyle de 1976, offert par le regrette Claude François, voir chanter Janis Ian en direct At seventeen m'enchante

[@mwngw]

I knew many kids in the boomer era who felt out of place and alone, as I myself was. Part of it was trying to come out of Catholic school and into public school. I was petrified, but I knew it was necessary.

[@BrandiWine19881]

I sang this song for my JustletMeSing audition. Because I was an ugly duckling myself, but am now quite beautiful_ just as she is. I love her. I relate to this song with passion.

[@ronleon62]

Janice was very beautiful back then!

[@cembaloish]

At 65 is much like at 17. Guys deal with this as well as gals.

[@cowboy267822t]

Well Ladies , after all these years I just realized what Janis was saying , as I drove home this eveing it played and sounded so appropriate and as I listend to see what I should google once I got home,cause I thought it was carol king, but I typed in "ugly duckling"it clicked home but I remember a time simular;so tho I am all man ,I remember being treated like "Rover"

[@kulturaroma]

Thanks to Homer and Chief Wiggum. Brilliant song!!!

[@bobhedstrom]

It's interesting she uses the infamous idiom 'ugly duckling' when compared to the beauty queens. I think the duck metaphor was cool. If you think about it, what are ducklings? They're cute baby ducks. When watching a river one might see a mother duck and 6 or 7 pretty little ducklings go waddling by; cutest thing you'll ever see. Even the word duckling has a ring that sings. And I've never even seen an ugly duck. Have you? But if I did, I'd love it just the same. Bobble

[@ivyluna]

life indeed was cruel during that time, when looks matter most and those who possessed it were arrogant and snob those who's not as good looking at them. I never felt this way, for I always look for what inside and true character of a person..looks dont count to me.

[@eastbaysf]

All the guys I went to school with used to hang out with me to get to be near my blonde best friend. I knew it , but I was more fun to be around than her, she got knocked up and got really fat.. I still look great. But I never looked that glossy way she did. Beautiful women have it easy. Some of us including me have to try really hard to get noticed. But we are worth it guys. This song reminds me of that friend.

[@ringbolt9]

great song. tough truth of life looks matter so much. horrible but what can you do. human nature i suppose. :(

[@shaygirl7673]

classic.

[@llaves973]

janis lan your gorgeous only if i was born back then

[@TheYankeefan87]

@73schwinnparamount your right she was and is beautiful I'm glad i am not the only one cause it would be a shame to think that .

[@jackrussell55]

wow

[@boderah2959]

the middle. lost like that middle child of an abundantly large family. there, but seldom noticed. i am nervier- is that a word?-now than then. i ask, why didn't you tell me then? i told him i'd tho't myself ugly, plain. now, it's their loss.

[@zac13v5]

It's just a female and humanistic song. That's "why" is so beautiful.

[@mitrojsr]

@ringbolt9 thats right on. Fascinating comment

[@fm2dmax]

In this economy I see people who are dangerously incompetent getting jobs that might have otherwise gone to "ugly ducklings" who actually are competent and inspired ... except that US culture values cute and entertaining employees over competency. America values comfort and feeling good. This song thus is all the MORE relevant 37 and 47 as it was then ...

[@diveracterbeek6518]

whis i was 17 again,then i hd made no mistake

[@JoeDoe2]

She's a cutie.

[@FamilyChannel89]

L O V E

[@iyot1020]

remember girls spontaneous mutations and polymorphisms will eventually get you in the end so you better develop prefrontal cortex as well.. hehehhhehehe

[@shelleybobelly1]

youtube has to decide if my inaquaois comment is suitable. i know i spelled that wrong but fuck it.

[@arthurdonachy]

@5m33tontono so

[@nikos10golf]

NetFlix???? are you from Chile ?????