"At Seventeen"

[00:07.29] I learned the truth at seventeen

[00:11.27] That love was meant for beauty queens

[00:16.05] And high school girls with clear-skinned smiles

[00:20.30] Who married young and then retired

[00:26.94] The valentines I never knew

[00:31.19] The Friday night charades of youth

[00:35.97] Were spent on one more beautiful

[00:39.97] At seventeen I learned the truth

[00:46.88] And those of us with ravaged faces

[00:51.66] Lacking in the social graces

[00:55.12] Desperately remained at home

[00:58.82] Inventing lovers on the phone

[01:02.54] Who called to say, "Come dance with me"

[01:07.06] And murmured vague obscenities

[01:11.31] It isn't all it seems

[01:14.23] At seventeen

[01:17.96] A brown-eyed girl in hand-me-downs

[01:22.48] Whose name I never could pronounce

[01:26.46] Said, "Pity, please, the ones who serve

[01:30.71] They only get what they deserve"

[01:36.82] And the rich-relationed hometown queen

[01:41.34] Marries into what she needs

[01:44.53] With a guarantee of company

[01:48.78] And haven for the elderly

[01:56.22] Remember those who win the game

[02:00.47] Lose the love they sought to gain

[02:04.19] In debentures of quality

[02:08.17] And dubious integrity

[02:11.89] Their small town eyes will gape at you

[02:15.61] In dull surprise when payment due

[02:20.66] Exceeds accounts received

[02:23.58] At seventeen

[02:27.32] (Instrumental Break)

[03:19.96] To those of us who knew the pain

[03:24.21] Of valentines that never came

[03:28.73] And those whose names were never called

[03:32.71] When choosing sides for basketball

[03:39.09] It was long ago and far away

[03:43.89] The world was younger than today

[03:48.14] When dreams were all they gave for free

[03:51.85] To ugly duckling girls like me

[03:57.96] We all play the game and when we dare

[04:02.48] To cheat ourselves at solitaire

[04:06.20] Inventing lovers on the phone

[04:09.93] Repenting other lives unknown

[04:13.91] They call and say, "Come dance with me"

[04:18.16] And murmur vague obscenities

[04:22.42] At ugly girls like me

[04:25.09] At seventeen