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At Seventeen

Updated: 12/20/2025, 1:31:05 PM Wikipedia source

"At Seventeen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janis Ian from her seventh studio album Between the Lines. Columbia released it in July 1975 as the album's second single. Ian wrote the lyrics on the basis of a New York Times article and used a samba instrumental, and Brooks Arthur produced the final version. A pop and soft rock ballad, the song is about a social outcast in high school. Critics have regarded "At Seventeen" as a type of anthem. Despite her initial reluctance to perform the single live, Ian promoted it at various appearances and it has been included on compilation and live albums. Critics praised "At Seventeen", which earned Ian the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Grammy nominations for Record and Song of the Year. The single reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and had sold over a million copies as of August 2004. Internationally, "At Seventeen" charted in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It is one of Ian's most commercially successful songs, considered by critics her signature song. "At Seventeen" has been used frequently in television and films, like The Simpsons and Mean Girls; it has also been referenced in literature. Various recording artists and musicians, including Anita Kerr, Jann Arden, and Celine Dion, have covered "At Seventeen". The Hong Kong all-female band at17 named themselves after it in 2002.

Infobox

B-side
"Stars" "Applause"
Released
July 1975
Recorded
September 17, 1974
Studio
914 Sound Studios
Genre
Pop soft rock
Length
4:43 (Album version)3:56 (Remix Single version)
Label
Columbia
Songwriter
Janis Ian
Producer
Brooks Arthur

Tables

· Charts › Weekly charts
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Chart (1975)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Peakposition
18
Canada RPM Top Singles
Canada RPM Top Singles
Chart (1975)
Canada RPM Top Singles
Peakposition
6
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary
Chart (1975)
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary
Peakposition
1
New Zealand
New Zealand
Chart (1975)
New Zealand
Peakposition
37
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (1975)
US Billboard Hot 100
Peakposition
3
US Billboard Adult Contemporary
US Billboard Adult Contemporary
Chart (1975)
US Billboard Adult Contemporary
Peakposition
1
US Cash Box Top 100
US Cash Box Top 100
Chart (1975)
US Cash Box Top 100
Peakposition
1
Quebec (ADISQ)
Quebec (ADISQ)
Chart (1975)
Quebec (ADISQ)
Peakposition
11
Chart (1975)
Peakposition
Australia (Kent Music Report)
18
Canada RPM Top Singles
6
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary
1
New Zealand
37
US Billboard Hot 100
3
US Billboard Adult Contemporary
1
US Cash Box Top 100
1
Quebec (ADISQ)
11
· Charts › Year-end charts
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Chart (1975)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Rank
80
Canada RPM Top Singles
Canada RPM Top Singles
Chart (1975)
Canada RPM Top Singles
Rank
71
US Billboard Easy Listening
US Billboard Easy Listening
Chart (1975)
US Billboard Easy Listening
Rank
19
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (1975)
US Billboard Hot 100
Rank
20
US Billboard Pop
US Billboard Pop
Chart (1975)
US Billboard Pop
Rank
20
US Cash Box
US Cash Box
Chart (1975)
US Cash Box
Rank
6
Chart (1975)
Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)
80
Canada RPM Top Singles
71
US Billboard Easy Listening
19
US Billboard Hot 100
20
US Billboard Pop
20
US Cash Box
6
· Release history
United States
United States
Country
United States
Date
August 1975
Format
7 inch
Label
Columbia
November 20 1976
November 20 1976
Country
November 20 1976
August 4 2014
August 4 2014
Country
August 4 2014
Date
Digital download
Format
Rude Girl Records
Country
Date
Format
Label
United States
August 1975
7 inch
Columbia
November 20 1976
August 4 2014
Digital download
Rude Girl Records

References

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  39. "2008 Nebula Awards"
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  41. Welcome Home (The Nebulas Song)
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  42. "Cambridge Folk Festival review – women rule the roost"
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  43. The Austin Chronicle
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  45. Vogue
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  46. The Advocate
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  47. The Village Voice
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  49. "Celine Dion's 'Loved Me Back To Life': Album Review"
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  53. The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide
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  54. "10 Songs By Rock Stars About How Bad It Sucks to Be a Rock Star"
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  57. "Cash Box Top 100 9/20/75"
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    https://www.cleveland.com/music/index.ssf/2018/06/feisty_janis_ian_remains_socie.html
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    https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+life+and+hard+times+of+Janis+Ian.-a0120417272
  68. Parade
    https://parade.com/228551/nancyberk/showbiz-analysis-with-grammy-winner-janis-ian/
  69. Drouin (2013)
  70. Bustle
    https://www.bustle.com/articles/42352-this-obscure-mean-girls-fact-about-janis-ian-goes-all-the-way-back-to-1975
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    https://www.avclub.com/30-rock-the-break-up-the-baby-show-1798181750
  72. The New York Times
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  92. "Sheena Ringo"
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  93. Grantland
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  94. South China Morning Post
    https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2158582/pop-star-ellen-joyce-loo-was-trail-blazer-hong-kongs-lgbt-community
  95. Meow Meow Meow
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  101. "Sitti Navarro: Cafe Bossa"
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  102. The Philippine Star
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  103. Variety
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  117. The Philippine Star
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  118. Herald Sun
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  119. "Pure imagination [sound recording] / Rhonda Burchmore"
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  120. The Daily Telegraph
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  121. Telegraph & Argus
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  122. "54 Below to Welcome Maureen McGovern, 3/10-14"
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  123. HuffPost
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  124. Rolling Stone
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  125. "The Enduring 'AbFab' Picks Up Right Where It Boozily Left Off"
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  126. Metro
    https://metro.co.uk/2016/06/10/kylie-minogue-is-singing-the-theme-song-for-absolutely-fabulous-the-movie-5935519/
  127. The San Francisco Examiner
    http://www.sfexaminer.com/rachael-yamagata-gets-experimental-creative/
  128. "Bright lights and promises : redefining Janis Ian"
    https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=13001&recCount=25&recPointer=14&bibId=20385621
  129. "Jazz singer Sarah Partridge brings reimagined music of Janis Ian, other tunes to Nighttown"
    https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2018/11/jazz-singer-sarah-partridge-brings-reimagined-music-of-janis-ian-other-tunes-to-nighttown.html
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