[00:08.329]I learned the truth at seventeen
[00:12.370]That love was meant for beauty queens
[00:16.630]And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
[00:22.299]Who married young and then retired
[00:28.49]The valentines I never knew
[00:32.300]The Friday night charades of youth
[00:36.790]Were spent on one more beautiful
[00:41.40]At seventeen I learned the truth
[00:43.0]
[00:47.850]And those of us with ravaged faces
[00:52.760]Lacking in the social graces
[00:56.300]Desperately remained at home
[00:59.830]Inventing lovers on the phone
[01:03.680]Who called to say, "come dance with me"
[01:08.790]And murmur vague obscenities
[01:12.500]It isn't all it seems at seventeen
[01:16.500]
[01:19.230]A brown eyed girl in hand-me-downs
[01:23.860]Whose name I never could pronounce said
[01:27.700]Pity, please, the ones who serve
[01:31.840]They only get what they deserve
[01:38.379]The rich-relationed home-town queen
[01:42.830]Marries into what she needs
[01:46.260]With a guarantee of company and haven for the elderly
[01:53.280]
[01:57.520]Remember those who win the game
[02:02.50]Lose the love they sought to gain
[02:05.750]In debentures of quality
[02:09.688]And dubious integrity
[02:13.209]Their small town eyes will gape at you in
[02:17.39]Dull surprise when payment due
[02:21.879]Exceeds accounts received at seventeen
[02:26.70]
[03:21.499]To those of us who knew the pain
[03:25.999]Of valentines that never came
[03:30.19]And those whose names were never called
[03:34.59]When choosing sides for basketball
[03:40.789]It was long ago and far away
[03:45.320]The world was younger than today
[03:49.899]And dreams were all they gave for free
[03:53.619]To ugly duckling girls like me
[03:57.499]
[03:59.700]We all play the game and when we dare
[04:04.19]To cheat ourselves at solitaire
[04:07.969]Inventing lovers on the phone
[04:11.369]Repenting other lives unknown
[04:15.319]That call and say, "come dance with me"
[04:19.978]And murmur vague obscenities
[04:24.210]At ugly girls like me, at seventeen