Lyr Add: Society's Child (Janis Ian)

Subject: Lyr Add: SOCIETY'S CHILD (Janis Ian)
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 09 Jan 99 - 07:42 PM

These lyrics were requested on the thread titled "Banned songs."

SOCIETY'S CHILD
Written by Janis Ian
Recorded by Janis Ian and released as a single in 1967.

1. Come to my door, baby; face is clean and shining black as night.
My mother went to answer, you know, and you looked so fine.
Now I could understand your tears and your shame.
She called you "boy" instead of your name,
When she wouldn't let you inside,
When she turned and said, "But honey, he's not our kind."

She said I can't see you any more, baby,
Can't see you anymore.

2. Walk me down to school, baby. Everybody's acting deaf and blind
Until they turn and say, "Why don't you stick to your own kind?"
My teachers all laugh; they smirk and stare,
Cutting deep down in our affair.
Preachers of equality,
They say "Believe us," but why won't they just let us be?

They say I can't see you anymore, baby,
Can't see you anymore.

3. One of these days I'm gonna stop my listening, gonna raise my head up high.
One of these days I'm gonna raise my glistening wings and fly.
But that day will have to wait for awhile.
Baby, I'm only society's child.
When we're older things may change,
But for now this is the way they must remain.

I say, I can't see you any more, baby,
Can't see you anymore.
No, I don't wanna see you anymore, baby.

.
From the pen of a very young (17?) Janis Ian.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Society's Child
From: Jenny
Date: 10 Jan 99 - 12:12 AM

Roger, again, thanks. In the mid 60's, I sang in a lounge in Cocoa Beach, FL. They gave me a list of songs they thought I should sing. I distinctly remember Bye, Bye Blackbird being one of the songs. At that time, I was a quiet rebel, as opposed to the vociferous rebel I am now, but I would sing Society's Child every night, because I loved the song. It went right over everyone's head, except my folks who had to chaperone me because I wasn't 21. Lounge singing was pretty good money, but it reinforced my thoughts about the type of mentality of those who manage them, and, unfortunately, many of those who sat in them. Oh, well ... I was simply having a "nostalgia" moment. jenny

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Society's Child
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 10 Jan 99 - 10:16 AM

Jenny,

Music'll do that to ya. Bring nostalgia moments, I mean. Ain't it wonderful? You're welcome.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: lyrics for society's child
From: Doug
Date: 25 Feb 99 - 10:25 AM

I've been searching the web for a while now and cannont find the lyrics to Janis Ian's Society's Child. I would like to use it in a history course I teach. Can anyone help me out? It's probably very easy to find, but for some reason, I'm drawing blanks on this one. Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: lyrics for society's child
From: Ritchie
Date: 25 Feb 99 - 11:14 AM

Doug, I 've seen a reference to this lately on one of the threads.

I've got this on vinyl by Spooky Tooth ,It will give me an excuse to dig it out and play it. I could take down the lyrics like that if you want.

I'll be back.

Ritchie

Subject: RE: lyrics for society's child
From: Wolfgang
Date: 25 Feb 99 - 11:27 AM

thanks for the hint, Ritchie, that it has been in the Forum lately. Doug, go to Forum Search and enter the phrase society's child and you'll find the lyrics posted last month by Roger in Baltimore - click here.

Wolfgang