F＃M9 F＃／F＃M7 F＃6／F＃M9 F＃／F＃M7 F＃6／
I lear ned the t ruth at seve nteen
That love w as me ant for beau ty queens
and high school girls with
clear- skinned smile s
who m arried young, and then retired
The vale nt ines I neve r knew
The Friday ni ght charades of youth
were spent on one more beautiful
At s eventeen, I le arned the truth
And those of us with ravaged faces
la cking in the soc ial graces
des perately remained at home
inven ting lovers on the 'phone
who called to say 'Come dance with me'
an d murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems at seventeen
A bro wn- ey ed girl in hand - me- downs
whose nam e I never could pronounce
said 'Pity please the ones who serve
Th ey only get what they deserve'
The rich - rela tioned home town queen
marrie s in to what she needs
A guarantee of company
and hav en for the elde rly
Remember those who win the game
los e the love they tho ught they gained
in deb entures of quality
and dub ious integrity
Their small- town eyes will gape at you
in dull surprise when payment due
ex ceeds accounts received at seventeen
E♭m7onG＃ G＃m／E♭onG＃ G＃m／C＃7／C＃7／
F＃M9 F＃／F＃M7 F＃6／F＃M9 F＃／F＃M7 F＃6／
To thos e of u s who knew the pain
of valen- ti nes that neve r came
and those whose names were
never called
wh en c hoosing side s for basketball
It was long ago , and far away
The wor ld was youn ger than today
and dreams were all they gave for free
F＃M9 F＃ F＃M7 F＃6 F＃M9 F＃ F＃M7 F＃6
to ugl y duckling gir ls l ike me
We play the game, and when we dare
to che at ourselves at sol itaire
Inven ting lovers on the 'phone
Repen ting other lives unknown
that call and say 'Come dance with me'
an d murmur vague obscenities
at ugly girls likes me, at seventeen
