I learned the truth at seventeen
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That love was meant for beauty queens
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In high school girls with clear skinned smiles
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Who married young and then retired
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The valentines I never knew
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The Friday night charades of youth
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Were spent on one more beautiful
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At seventeen I learned the truth
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And those of us with ravaged faces
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Lacking in the social graces
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Desperately remained at home
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Inventing lovers on the phone
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Who called to say come dance with me
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And murmured vague obscenities
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It isn't all it seems
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At seventeen
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A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
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Whose name I never could pronounce
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Said, Pity please the ones who serve
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They only get what they deserve
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And the rich relationed hometown queen
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Married into what she needs
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A guarantee of company
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And haven for the elderly
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Remember those who win the game
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Lose the love they sought to gain
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Indebentures of quality
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And dubious integrity
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Their small town eyes will gape at you
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in dull surprise when payment due
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Exceeds accounts received
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At seventeen
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To those of us who knew the pain
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Of valentines that never came
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And those whose names were never called
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When choosing sides for basketball
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It was long ago and far away
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The world was younger than today
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And dreams were all they gave for free
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To ugly duckling girls like me
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We all play the game and when we dare
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To cheat ourselves at solitaire
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Inventing lovers on the phone
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Repenting other lives unknown
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That call and say, come dance with me
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And murmur vague obscenities
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At ugly girls like me
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At seventeen
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At Seventeen
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| Janis Ian |
