Babyboomers remember Janis Ian’s hits such as “At Seventeen,” about the “ugly duckling girl” longing for valentines that never came. “Society’s Child,” is about a white girl chastised for dating a black man. The Janis Ian of the 1960s sported a deadpan face. However, at 57, today’s Ian is warmer, even fun. She smiles.

Having recently written her autobiography, she also sang “My Autobiography,” a funny and self-effacing tune about the chutzpah associated with writing one’s own memoirs.

As a songwriter, Ian shows the prosaic to outshine the grand. “Jesse," while melodically lush, makes the song linger in the listener’s heart through lyrical detail. Wishing for a lover to “come home,” Ian describes the bedspread. The “recently cleaned” spread reminds that she has cleaned herself up, too. “I Hear You Sing Again” tenderly reflects Ian’s mother’s battle with multiple sclerosis.

Increasingly, “folk” artists like Christine Lavin, Susan Werner, and Ian deliver the best of cabaret: personal reflections, songs that take listeners on a journey, and yes, the smiles.

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
August 8, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org