I’m working on learning to play the song, “At Seventeen”, by Janis Ian, as I’m creating a tutorial of lessons on it to post on Guitar Tricks. It’s a beautiful guitar song, and I’m having a ton of fun poring over YouTube videos of Janis Ian at a wide variety of ages, playing the song on her acoustic guitar. This is how I learn to play it like she plays it.
Such an evocative song, it almost makes me squirm. Is this just a girls’ song? I don’t know. Guys, what do you think?
It is causing me to think about where I was at, at seventeen. What a time, what an age to be. I remember I used to sling my guitar onto my back (no case) and ride my bike across town to my friend Jeannie’s house, where we would sing Beatles songs for hours and scheme about how we were going to run away to Liverpool, England, locate Paul McCartney, and convince him to fall in love with us.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Anyway, I’d love to hear what Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen” brings up for you. Please respond and let me know your thoughts.
Guitar Life 
I watched a 2 videos of her doing that song, one early and one later. I thought to myself boy she is really getting old(in the later video)! Well then I thought wait a minute so am I. I have not heard that song in a long time but it does bring back memories growing up. Being a guy I don’t think I would want to learn the song but I would love to hear you play and sing it. As you mentioned it is a chick song!
Al
Hi Al,
Lyric-wise, it may be a chick song, but guitar-wise, it’s for anyone. The lyrics are so attention-getting, that I admit I never paid close attention to the music. Now that I am studying the music part, I am delighting in discovering how rich and beautiful it is.
Hmm, maybe you’d like to learn the karaoke version, and let a ladyfriend do the singing? -Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I find it a very sad song. It used to make me cry when I was a little girl. I didn’t even know what it was about at the time.
At seventeen I lived out west, worked in a restaurant during the day, took care of my cousin in the evening. That was my life at seventeen.
Hi Lisa,
I find it a very sad song too. Learning the guitar part has shed a lighter note on it for me, but I agree: lyrically and topically it is not a happy tune at all.
Hi Lisa,
At Seventeen I think I had discovered Girls, Cars and Music. I could not decide on what was more important. I still can’t.lol
Trifecta!