At Seventeen

[00:00.56] "At Seventeen"

[00:07.83] I learned the truth at seventeen

[00:11.61] That love was meant for beauty queens

[00:16.37] And high school girls with clear skinned smiles

[00:20.66] Who married young and then retired

[00:27.42] The valentines I never knew

[00:31.21] The Friday night charades of youth

[00:35.97] Were spent on one more beautiful

[00:40.02] At seventeen I learned the truth

[00:47.04] And those of us with ravaged faces

[00:51.80] Lacking in the social graces

[00:55.31] Desperately remained at home

[00:59.07] Inventing lovers on the phone

[01:02.83] Who called to say come dance with me

[01:07.36] And murmured vague obscenities

[01:11.62] It isn't all it seems

[01:14.37] At seventeen

[01:18.38] A brown eyed girl in hand me downs

[01:23.15] Whose name I never could pronounce

[01:26.67] Said, "Pity please the ones who serve,

[01:30.68] They only get what they deserve"

[01:37.70] The rich relationed hometown queen

[01:41.98] Marries into what she needs

[01:45.24] With a guarantee of company

[01:49.30] And haven for the elderly

[01:56.85] Remember those who win the game

[02:01.12] Lose the love they sought to gain

[02:04.63] In debentures of quality

[02:08.40] And dubious integrity

[02:12.15] Their small town eyes will gape at you

[02:16.16] In dull surprise when payment due

[02:20.96] Exceeds accounts received

[02:23.71] At seventeen

[03:20.76] To those of us who know the pain

[03:24.58] Of valentines that never came

[03:29.09] And those whose names were never called

[03:33.61] When choosing sides for basketball

[03:39.64] It was long ago and far away

[03:44.67] The world was younger than today

[03:48.74] And dreams were all they gave for free

[03:52.26] To ugly duckling girls like me

[03:58.36] We all play the game and when we dare

[04:03.11] To cheat ourselves at solitaire

[04:07.12] Inventing lovers on the phone

[04:10.88] Repenting other lives unknown

[04:14.39] That call and say, come dance with me

[04:18.90] And murmur vague obscenities

[04:23.18] At ugly girls like me

[04:25.97] At seventeen