Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
  Great CD November 25, 2008
I have totally enjoyed the Janice Ian Autobiography CD. I bought the CD to have a copy of my favorite Janice Ian song "At Seventeen" and found that I liked her body of work over the years. The song "Society's Child" I found most interesting considering it is a song about a interacial relationship in the 1960's. Ms. Ian is a great Folk singer, but many of the songs on this CD mix Folk with some Jazz, and RB which I think makes it a great CD. I recommend it for all of those people who love 60-70's music and folk music.
 Stunning. What soul, what heart, what a voice. November 24, 2008
When I say "What a voice" I don't just mean the voice itself, I mean it metaphorically: what a profound, touching set of things she has to say, and what a wonderful way of expressing them. In the songs and in the book.
I didn't know about this book/CD project when I saw her live in N.H. last Thursday, but I bought a set before the show started, and another set after. I was in tears three times during songs in the show, and part of it was how moved I was by the stories from her life, between songs. Being called "n*gger lover" by people in the crowd at her first concert ever, scaring her off the stage, until she found the strength (at age 15) to stand up to them; being herself in the face of tremendous pressure from record companies; going through so many phases of her life, and emerging now at age 57 as a stunning, powerful, short :) white-headed powerhouse.
I've started reading the book and it's even better than the stories she told on stage. This woman can WRITE - who knew? She has the ability to take a multi-dimensional story and find those few select bits that, when spun together and artfully expressed, convey far more feeling and impact than the word count would suggest.
And the whole concept of each chapter having a companion song on the CDs - bewitching. I'm on my third time through, listening to the two-CD set, and I'm falling in love with it... and I don't fall in love with a CD often. It's one of those song-after-song "oh that one!" experiences.
Rediscovering Janis at this point in both our lives is not just a blast from the past - this is a new, rich, hedonistic pleasure. And what a pleasure.
Janis is a must hear, must read, must see!!!!!!!!!!!! November 2, 2008
If you only know one Janis song, 17, you are going to be blown away. ALL her songs are great. I am 47. When I put this CD in the player, my kids 8 and 12 years old, argue about which song to play first. My husband loves her too. Buy the CD and her book, Society's Child, and then go to her web site to see when she is going to be within a few hours drive so that you can see her in concert. We saw her last week, twice, and were blown away. She is not only a great musician, but also very funny and entertaining. Go to janisian.com and check out her web site. You can never have too much Janis! When you start reading her book, you won't be able to put it down. She has been to hell and back and instead of turning into a bitter woman, she just kept making beautiful music and sharing and giving to the world.
I love Janis Ian October 21, 2008
As I was reading the autobiography and feeling so connected to Janis, I just couldn't wait to pick up this GREAT CD!!
She was so open as she wrote her autobiography, she really made you feel like you were with her for the ride.
Society's Child: My Autobiography
I have to admit, I grew up with Janis, I do have a couple of her old records, yes, records, but had not thought about her until I saw her on stage at Falcon Ridge folk Festival. It was the performance the day before the fierce thunder and hail storms!
Thank you Janis for this wonderful new but old, CD!! buy it with the book!!
M.E.
Stars they come and go October 10, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
And yet, some burn steadily. You just have to wait til the winds of time blow the haze away.
I've loved Janis Ian's work since "Society's Child." She was brilliant early and she's still shining.
This current offering is the companion to her autobiography, following the book chapter by chapter. You've got some expected tunes, some rarities. All of it is good quality and at 31 songs in a 2-disk set, Janis Ian gives you a good value for your dollar.
A must for Ian fans and an excellent introduction to an artist whose work has shone ever since her youth.
Rebecca Kyle, October 2008
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