At Seventeen / Julianna is the second double-A-side release in advance of the upcoming album + EP from Allison Crowe and Band, "Pillars" + “Six More Songs” (out May 1, 2020). 

The single pairs the band's cover of this Janis Ian classic with an original rocker:

 

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/track/at-seventeen-2 - At Seventeen 

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/track/julianna-6 - Julianna 

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/album/julianna-at-seventeen - Julianna / At Seventeen 

 

At Seventeen 

 

Composed by Janis Ian 

As performed by Allison Crowe and Band 

 

I learned the truth at seventeen 

That love was meant for beauty queens 

And high school girls with clear skinned smiles 

Who married young and then retired 

 

The valentines I never knew 

The Friday night charades of youth 

Were spent on one more beautiful 

At seventeen I learned the truth 

 

And those of us with ravaged faces 

Lacking in the social graces 

Desperately remained at home 

Inventing lovers on the phone 

 

Who called to say "Come dance with me" 

And murmured vague obscenities 

It isn't all it seems 

At seventeen 

 

A brown-eyed girl in hand-me-downs 

Whose name I never could pronounce 

Said, "Pity, please, the ones who serve 

They only get what they deserve" 

 

And the rich-relationed hometown queen 

Who marries into what she needs 

With a guarantee of company 

And haven for the elderly 

 

Remember those who win the game 

They lose the love they sought to gain 

In debentures of quality 

And dubious integrity 

 

Their small-town eyes will gape at you 

In dull surprise when payment due 

Exceeds accounts received 

At seventeen 

 

To those of us who knew the pain 

Of Valentines that never came 

And those whose names were never called 

When choosing sides at basketball 

 

It was long ago and far away 

The world was younger than today 

When dreams were all they gave for free 

To ugly duckling girls like me 

 

We all play the game, and when we dare 

To cheat ourselves at solitaire 

Inventing lovers on the phone 

Repenting other lives unknown 

 

They call and say, "Come dance with me" 

And murmur vague obscenities 

At ugly girls like me 

At seventeen 

 

ALLISON CROWE AND BAND: 

 

Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, cello, guitar, fiddle, Seaboard and more); 

Sarah Melanie White (mandolin, bouzouki, vocals+) 

Dave Baird (bass); & 

Keelan Purchase (accordion, guitar, harmonica, vocals) 

Allison Crowe: Composer & Co-Producer 

Adam Thistle: Recording/Mixing Engineer & Co-Producer 

 

Billie Woods Photography 

Mind Palace Design 

 

Visit us @ https://allisoncroweband.com + https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/ 

Peace!