Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Society’s Child: my autobiography  by Janis Ian (2008). 

Singer/songwriter Ian’s autobiography tracks the ups and downs of her tumultuous career which began at age 15 with the release of her mega-hit “Society’s Child,” a song that Ian describes as “the best of songs, the worst of songs.” The ‘best’ of songs because it launched her career; the ‘worst’ because it nearly got her killed. The same could be said of Ian’s career--a wild ride from the top of the charts to down in the gutter and points in-between. 

Ian writes candidly about her career--the hits and flops; love affairs; bigotry; the music business; life on the road; fellow musicians; therapists; FBI and IRS; the devils who betrayed and the friends who stood by her. The narrative includes stories behind her greatest hits, including “Society’s Child,” “Jesse,” “At Seventeen,” “Between the Lines,” and “Tatoo.” Some came easy, some came hard. Creativity, like everything else in her life, has its ups and downs. 

The one thing that can be said about Janis Ian is this: her career was her life. Life and career appear seamless, inseparable. She lived her career, body and soul. Her best songs reflect this ‘lived life’ quality. Other artists have recorded Ian’s songs,; but, for me, the renderings aren’t the same. Her songs resonant through her voice. We hear the celebration, confusion, surprise, perplexity, wonder, sadness and the joy. It all filters through.

Sometime in the late 90s, Ian performed at the Dead Dog Saloon in Salt Lake City. I sat up front, close enough to watch her as she sang and conversed with the audience. She seemed curious about the audience, as curious about us as we were of her. Curious about these women her own age, living in the heart of Zion. 

Something else struck me about Ian’s performance. She seemed detached, split--the performer reveling in the limelight while the introverted writer shivered off-stage.

Glad to read that Janis Ian has achieved resonance in her career and personal life. It has been a long time coming.