Society's Child: The Verve Recordings by Janis Ian (CD, Aug-1995, 2 Discs, Polydor USA)

I was looking for a CD re-release of the original Society's Child album to review. You can find everything on eBay, right? Well it looks like there has been no reissue of the original LP with just those tracks. The best I could do was to find this:

Society's Child: The Verve Recordings - Ian, Janis (CD 1995)

So it will have to do. All the tracks I remember from the original album seem:

DISC 1: JANIS IAN:
1. Society's Child
2. Too Old To Go 'Way Little Girl
3. Hair Of Spun Gold
4. The Tangles Of My Mind
5. I'll Give You A Stone If You'll Throw It (Changing Tymes)
6. Pro-Girl
7. Younger Generation Blues
8. New Christ Cardiac Hero
9. Lover Be Kindly
10. Mrs. McKenzie
11. Janey's Blues

seem to be on this compendium, so you're not missing anything and probably gaining a lot.

When this album originally came out it caused quite the stir. Taboo subject - interracial dating. Unusual artist - A high school kid wrote and performed it all. It would have caused quite the additional stir if anyone had bothered to go beyond the title track and listen to the lyrics of the other cuts. My somewhat-sheltered childhood didn't encompass any of the dilemmas in her song-stories. I strongly suspect that hers didn't either, or she wouldn't have made it to grownupdom, where she now seems to reside. (I might add, as, inter alia, a science fiction fan.)

Anyway, if you have a teen-ager with angst, or if you ARE a teen ager with angst, you should listen to these tracks. If nothing else, you'll be glad you're not Janis!

It would be a remarkable work if written at any age; it's even more amazing that a high-school student could accomplish this.

Pro-Girl:

Now if flesh were the only thing you sold might be all right
But for just for five pounds, you also sell a smile
Mothers warn their kids watch out for this
Red lights change slow,
Pro-girl, you know girl,
Sell your soul for a sum and it's taken by a john,
Bargain well girl...

If I were growing up now, I don't suppose I'd have any trouble understanding it.
As I said, she did manage to survive to the present. She has a web site, and spends some time being on the right side of the DRM fracas. Good music, very interesting lyrics. Well worth purchase.

I grew up with Janis Ian--not in person, but we are one year apart in age. Her first song that she wrote was "Hair of Spun Gold". It is on this CD. The first recording was on this same entitled LP by Verve. I have seen Janis in concert 3 times and spoken with her on occasion. Her music changed through the 60's, 70's, a break for a while and then the 80's and 90's and she is still recording and doing concerts. She is one awesome, little lady! Her brother's last name is Ian and that is where Ian comes from. I am not at home at this time. When I have all my info in front of me, I will let you know more about Janis, if you are interested.