When Verve Records first released Janis Ian's song "Society's Child" in 1967, most radio stations refused to play it. The ballad tells the story of a white girl who ends an interracial romance because her community doesn't approve. Ian began writing the lyrics at age 13 while riding a school bus and completed the song a year later. The song became a hit on the protest circuit, alongside politically conscious music by the likes of Pete Seeger. Now it is part of Smithsonian Folkways' collection of "Classic Protest Songs," which will be released on March 24.
Hear Janis Ian's Baby I've Been Thinking (Society Child).
Music courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways, the non-profit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. Please click here to purchase or for more information
Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.
Comments (10)
Spooky Tooth was the band that recorded it sometime around the 70s
Posted by jim on November 27,2009 | 05:10 AM
It is Janis Ian singing it. its an earlier recording (unplugged) recorded for Broadside magazine of "Society's Child" when it was known as "Baby, I've Been Thinking". She was older when she recorded the Verve version. Here she is probably 14-15. The earlier post is correct she recorded for Broadside as Blind Girl Grunt (Dylan recorded as Blind Boy Grunt for Broadside)- Jeff Place, Producer, Classic Protest Songs
Posted by Jeff Place on March 12,2009 | 04:13 PM
Janis was the one who recorded it. It just sounds a whole lot better with the studio music!
Posted by Lizabeth Hardman on March 3,2009 | 07:00 PM
The recording info tab says it's performed by Janis Ian. Blind Girl Grunt is a pseudonym she used when recording for Broadside.
Posted by Mike Davis on February 21,2009 | 11:33 PM
Well, as instructed in "Sing like a pirate" in the March 2009 issue of Smithsonian, I went to the web site Smithsonian.com/jukebox to hear selections from "Irish Pirate Ballads and Other Songs of the Sea". I can find no reference to this anywhere on the web site.
Posted by David A. Hardy on February 21,2009 | 03:38 PM
Is that Blind Girl Grunt singing Society Child? Do you have Janis Ian's version on the "Classic Protest Song" CD? I don't want to buy it unless Janis is singing it? Why would you make a CD with someone else singing it? Rosemary Burns
Posted by Rosemary Burns on February 10,2009 | 07:03 PM
Flashback to this amazing era....at 56 years of age, I am not sure much has changed in our society. As a school social worker, I am experiencing bi-racial prejudice in increasing fashion.. Where is Janis by the way?
Posted by Jennie on February 4,2009 | 03:07 PM
I couldn't find that anyone else ever recorded this song. I did find a newer version sung by Janis Ian in which her voice is more husky/smokey. You can check it out at this website. I hope it helps.
http://www.vimeo.com/1520346
Posted by Jane Dever on February 2,2009 | 09:00 AM
Janis Ian recorded it and made it a hit. And her voice was significantly better than whoever is singing this version.
Posted by Ann E Wendel on January 30,2009 | 08:43 PM
I know this song, but not this version. Who recorded it later and made it a hit?
Posted by Kathy Snow on January 29,2009 | 09:14 PM