More on ‘A song before class’

I am sorry that Janis Ian’s high school years sucked. But then, everybody’s high school years suck at some point. The days or week you didn’t want to go to school because you didn’t meet somebody’s expectations, or someone had looked at you and you saw the look as disparaging your very existence. Or the girl you wanted to ask out, you saw walking too close to another guy, and even if you had asked her out before then, she would have said no, because you weren’t handsome enough for her or you didn’t have enough money …

Everybody had times that sucked.

Regardless of what Ian said, even high school girls with clear skin smiles have sucking days. Being always pretty can’t be always easy. Walking just the right way because that’s what pretty girls do, wearing just the right clothes and wearing just the right amount and kind of makeup, smiling just the right way … Belle of the ball is a job.

Almost all of us made it unscathed through high school. Most of us didn’t and don’t blame others for the way our lives turned out. “If so-and-so had just done whatever-it-was-I-wanted at 17 …”

There is the key – What I wanted.

In the song, Ian hints at what she wanted, but she doesn’t spell it out. She was troubled, she was sad, she was … different?

In coming out press statements and on “woe is me” TV programs, how many times have you heard someone say, “In high school I knew I was different”?

Here’s a clue for you all – In high school, everybody is different. Everybody. Think back. Do you remember anyone who was just like you? Would you have wanted to know someone who was just like you?

You can be sad, you can be troubled, you can believe you aren’t liked. You have those rights.

You also have the right to blame. No one can stop you from blaming someone else, or several someones else.

But at some time, blame has to stop.

If high school girls with clear-skin smiles had not existed, how would Ian have realized a recording contract?