Janis Ian - American songwriter, singer, musician, author and multiple Grammy-winning writer of "At 17," "Jesse" and "Society's Child": Home

I learned the truth at seventeen,
That love was meant for beauty queens
There's never much to say between
The moments of our games and repartee
Put your ear to the ground,
there's a buzz
about a new type of song
And I'm leaving the light on the stairs
No I'm not scared - I wait for you
Hey Jesse, I'm lonely, come home
Nothing's sadder than the man who thinks he's free
when he is chained to the prison of his hatred,
and a dream gone up in flames
I would tell her how I've yearned
to be worthy of the grail.
All these years and all I've learned
is just how brilliantly I fail
There are voices on the wind.
Stolen whispers, sacred moans.
You can hear them through your skin,
and the singing of the bones
Here we all are, waiting for God,
or someone who looks just like Him
We live beyond our means
on other peoples' dreams,
and that's succeeding
We were speaking of values and violence.
Breaking silence
And if I never reach Orion,
and if I never fly that far -
still there's no harm in trying
to go walking on a star
And if Jesus was a black man,
or as white as Sambo's grin,
it's his words that we'd remember,
not the color of his skin
Old lace and picture frames
rattle their ancient chains.
Midnight will surprise moonlight at the door
I want to make you love me,
and I want to make you smile,
and I want to be your family,
for just a little while
I believe in tomorrow,
but I remember yesterday
How could I have loved you for so long?
I know I enjoyed you,
but how could I have liked you?
Old cliches, they grow like vines,
to clutch the heart of the one you leave behind
It's the road that makes the rhythm.
It's the chalk marks on her soul.
She was younger than forever.
She was older than goodbye.
It's not who you love,
but whether you can.
Vocatus atque non vocatus, deus aderit.
Sursum, Domini, sursum Domini.
Ora pro nobis, in ora pro nobis pacem, Kyrie.
In ora Kyrie eleison. Kyrie.
She can taste it on your breath,
cutting through the cigarette.
She can smell it on your sweat
The city casts no shadow now.
At midnight,
all the whores come out and dance with darkness,
and the night rains pour.
How does it feel to pull out the nails,
and find you still can walk?
Yesterday's preacher,
today's bikini beacher
Now all over this big wide world,
I play like a girl -
from the California lights to the Serengetti nights,
I play like a girl
Close the light. Still the flames.
Candles light the empty frames.
A photograph can never be
the song you are to me.
Some overdose, and some wrap like a rose
'round the slick perfumed nose of high noon.
Burning their lips as they stoop low
to kiss some rich man's excuse for the moon.
First time I saw Paris in your eyes,
you told me how you loved me,
under blue Picasso skies.
No one sends roses to crazy old ladies
who lie in dark dusty rooms,
the size of a small foreign car.
Sometimes I wonder
where all the good people are.
Some sell their bodies for dimes,
while others marry for the houses,
and the jewelry.
It's a real thin line,
what you charge for your time.
Hide me in the wisdom of your thighs.
Ride me like a wave.
And is she beautiful?
She must be pretty, or worse,
to ride the high seas.
The gates of the city are closed until dawn,
when the ghosts of midnight have come and gone,
and the hearts of the weary carry on
Why can't my wings soar like yours?
Why can't my span spread as wide?
Maybe I've got too much left to hide
I am waiting for my life to be
one long unbroken symphony.
Will it come too late to shelter me?
I long to be eternity.
Come on, come on, eternity!
I lay the baby out each dawn,
inbetween the tender corn,
with sunrise for her bonnet,
and flies her only blanket.
Somewhere out there are millions just like me -
homesick for Eden,
heartsick at the memory.
You mistake the moment for the song.
The drama for the play.
The actor for the role.
The neon light for day.
The old ones like to claw and clutch.
Be careful not to offer much.
They understand the fist and crutch.
Here I am dancing at last.
Holding my own,
even when the band plays fast -
tonight's the night!
How we used to like the old-time movies.
The silent picture show,
where you make up your life
at the end of the night,
as your reel to reels unfold
Her new name was tattooed to her wrist.
It was longer than the old one... tattoo.
God said I wish you'd known me,
when I still believed you'd be true.
Now for the rest of your days,
when you call our my name,
I'll be "Mr. God" to you.
Every man's an island in the desert of his soul.
Take to the sky,
there's nowhere else to go.
I went to drink some water,
but the faucet heads were gone.
They weren't sterling silver,
but I loved to turn them on.
Enough about me - let's talk about you.
What do you think of me?

Historic Interview and Performance on WNYC

Here's a recently unearthed interview by Dave Sear with Janis, age 16, from WNYC's Adventures in Folk Music radio New York! Recorded on December 7, 1967.

Also includes five songs:

1. Younger Generation Blues
2. Society's Child
3. I'll Give You A Stone If You'll Throw It (Changing Tymes)
4. (Too Old To) Go 'Way Little Girl
5. Beep Beep Song

LISTEN NOW

[more]
Annual Pearl Foundation donation amounts now set!

We’ve been going through the Pearl Foundation books, and can now confidently say that the Foundaton will be increasing its endowed scholarship funds by a total of $72,000 this year, bringing the total in monies given to Pearl Foundation Scholarship Endowment Funds to $1,116,250.00!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who’s purchased merchandise on line and at shows, sent donations, bought jewelry, held Living Room Concerts, played Roadie-For-A-Day, and helped us to continue funding scholarships for returning students.

[more]

more hot news

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All tour dates updated on December 20, 2018

Thursday, January 31st
Island Library
Holmes Beach, FL

Island Library

Holmes Beach, FL

Phone: 941-778-6341

Visit the venue's website

Island Library
5701 Marina Drive
Holmes Beach, FL 34217
Janis will be speaking about her career as a performing songwriter and author of the Grammy-winning audiobook "Society's Child: My Autobiography", along with "The Tiny Mouse", a children's book. The talk will be illustrated with a few songs and a Q&A. Merchandise will be offered for sale (cash/check preferred) to benefit The Pearl Foundation and the Island Library equally, and Janis is happy to sign items after the talk is over. For information please call 941-778-6341. * Please note, this is a co-venture with the Waterline Marriott next door to the library. The actual talk will take place at the Waterline, piped into the library and then offered on line. Expect laughter and tears on gorgeous Anna Maria Island!
Wednesday, March 6th
Tiedtke Concert Hall
Winter Park, FL

Tiedtke Concert Hall

Winter Park, FL

Phone: 407-646-2233

Visit the venue's website

Master Class - Free Event.
Thursday, March 7th
Tiedtke Concert Hall
Winter Park, FL

Tiedtke Concert Hall

Winter Park, FL

Phone: 407-646-2233

Visit the venue's website

Free show.
Thursday, August 8th
Egyptian Theatre
Park City, UT

Egyptian Theatre

Park City, UT

Phone: 435-649-9371

Visit the venue's website

Master Class with Livingston Taylor.

10AM to 2PM
Friday, August 9th
Egyptian Theatre
Park City, UT

Egyptian Theatre

Park City, UT

Phone: 435.649.9371

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor.

Tickets on sale May 1, 2019.
Saturday, August 10th
Egyptian Theatre
Park City, UT

Egyptian Theatre

Park City, UT

Phone: 435-649-9371

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor.

Tickets on sale May 1, 2019.
Sunday, August 11th
Egyptian Theatre
Park City, UT

Egyptian Theatre

Park City, UT

Phone: 435-649-9371

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor.

Tickets on sale May 1, 2019.
Wednesday, August 14th
Ridgefield Playhouse
Ridgefield, CT

Ridgefield Playhouse

Ridgefield, CT

Phone: 203-438-5795

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor.
Thursday, August 15th
Theatre At Westbury
Westbury, NY

Theatre At Westbury

Westbury, NY

Phone: 516-247-5100

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor
On sale date TBA
Saturday, August 17th
The Wilbur Theatre
Boston, MA

The Wilbur Theatre

Boston, MA

Phone: 617-248-9700

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor
On sale date TBA
Sunday, August 18th
The Egg Performing Arts Center
Albany, NY

The Egg Performing Arts Center

Albany, NY

Phone: 518-473-1845

Visit the venue's website

With Livingston Taylor
On sale date TBA

more tour dates

more free downloads

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Free is good, but think of the karmic benefits of taking the money that the above downloads would have cost at some other on-line music site, and then donating that money to a good cause. My gosh, a few of these and you're on the path to nirvana! The link below can be used to make a contribution to the The Pearl Foundation. Donations are accepted via Paypal. Every penny raised by this link benefits the Pearl Foundation.

OR...

Send us an email offering a donation in return for something special. (See the Pearl Foundation pages for more info!)

ALSO...

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Or if you don't have a computer, you can send a check to:

The Pearl Foundation
Rashford Kruse & Asso.
Post Office Box 121228
Nashville TN 37212

New Message From Janis
in the Newsroom

There's a new message from Janis in the Newsroom. You'll find information about her current "downsizing," some special personal items she is selling, her induction into the East Orange Hall Of Fame and what she's been up to lately.

WANT TO DONATE?

New Message From Janis in the Newsroom

New Message From Janis
in the Newsroom