Monday, April 27, 2015

CAFFE` LATTE` TOP 2000 TRACKS
THE TOP 100
#14 AT SEVENTEEN
JANIS IAN
(1975)
Writer: Janis Ian
Singer/ songwriter Janis ian summed up the struggles of the teen ugly duckling for her composition "At Seventeen". It convincingly conveys the feelings of exclusion, rejection and being overlooked. The song was a track on her 1975 album 'Between the Lines'. Along with her reserved yet powerful vocal delivery, Ian played acoustic and nylon guitars and arranged the horns that feature prominently on the track.
After breaking through with "Society's Child" in 1967, she had to wait until 1975 to return to the Top 40. "At Seventeen" peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Cashbox Pop chart as well as the US Adult Contemporary chart. The song also was a hit in Australia. It remains her best known song to this day. Fortunately, it has not lost any of its power over the decades. 
Ian revealed that she was a lesbian in 1993. Her sexuality had been the cause of speculation for several years following a report in the US gay-targeted magazine "The Advocate". Later, Ian was a regular contributor to the magazine. She continues performing and recording to this day. "At Seventeen" remains a highpoint from the singer/ songwriter era. 
This is a list made up of the songs I enjoy the most, ranked in order of preference: the higher we go, the more I cherish them. Some were released as singles, others as album tracks. Some are obscure; others were worldwide hits or have universal appeal. They aren't always the most famous or popular, but simply a personal choice. I have excluded songs from the last few years in order to get a better idea of a song's lasting impression. I hope you find some new tracks to love, or re-discover some past favourites. 
Each week, 2 new songs from the remaining Top 100 are added, while another 2 are also included from positions 1501-2000 on the other weekdays. Check back here for an update of the 2000.

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