The album Janis Ian considers perfect: “There wasn’t a bad song on it”
At just 14 years old, Janis Ian felt brave and passionate enough to write a song that criticised 1960s interracial prejudice. At 17, Ian learnt all about society’s sexist shortcomings and channelled it into what would become one of her most enduring hits. At 73, while facing a daunting reality about losing her voice, she continues to be celebrated, not only for her smooth, ethereal vocals but for championing change in a flawed music industry.
Unlike many musical legends, Ian built her career from the ground up. ‘Society’s Child’ might have sparked initial backlash due to its overt criticism of 1960s racism, but it soon became a symbol of social change and demonstrated Ian’s penchant for fearlessly tackling taboo subjects, despite many dismissing her views or contributions due to her age.
Ian’s voice became a major aspect of her storytelling, which was often filled with the gravity of emotion that reflected her narratives well, like her sultry and effortless tones in ‘At Seventeen’ as she glided through words about the realities of youthful disappointment. At the time, the counterculture movement had guided the industry towards a particular style of songwriting, which made Ian feel a slight unease about the song and its overt confessional style.
Still, she pressed on, courageous in her presentation of self-reflective values and the idea that a woman can be honest about feeling unattractive. As a result, Ian recalled the recording session as being “tense”, mostly due to feeling like she had written a hit but also because “the melody sounded so familiar” that she began to worry she had plagiarised it. Although she hadn’t, clearly something deep within urged her to feel closer to the melody, likely because it was so personal at the time.
It makes sense, therefore, that the song is regarded as one of Ian’s best vocal performances. In fact, Ian often worked hard to deliver vocals that reflected the message of her songs perfectly, going back and forth to make sure it worked to the best of her ability. Perhaps this is why she also became fond of Nina Simone, who also had the effortless ability to celebrate and criticise, holding every emotion in her voice alone.
Discussing her favourite albums, Ian once mentioned Simone’s Wild Is the Wind, a romantic and soulful jazz record that’s considered one of Simone’s best and most accomplished contributions. “Growing up, one of my favourite albums was Nina Simone’s Wild Is the Wind,” Ian said.
She added: “There wasn’t a bad song on it. There wasn’t a bad vocal lick, there wasn’t a bad piano note, there wasn’t a bad arrangement.”
Singling out ‘Four Women’ in particular, Ian said the album resonated so immensely with her because of its fusion of various aspects. The result was an unparalleled listening experience like no other. “It was this wonderful blend […] that were instinct married to the tremendous harnessing of her own talent and craft,” Ian explained, describing Simone’s innate ability to execute authentic musical excellence.
