Born Janis Eddy Fink on 7th April 1951 to a Jewish family in New York City, she was primarily raised in New Jersey, initially on a farm, and attended East Orange High School and the New York City High School of Music & Art. Her parents, Victor (a music teacher) and Pearl, ran a summer camp in upstate New York, and, in that Cold War era, were frequently under government surveillance because of their left-wing politics. (Ian alluded to these years later in her song "God and the FBI"). Young Janis admired the work of folk pioneers such as Joan Baez and Odetta. At the age of twelve, Ian wrote her first song, "Hair of Spun Gold", which was subsequently published in the folk publication Broadside and was later recorded for her debut album.
At the age of thirteen she legally changed her name to Janis Ian, using as her new last name her brother Eric's middle name. Also in that year, Ian wrote and sang her first hit single, "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)", about an interracial romance forbidden by a girl's mother and frowned upon by her peers and teachers; the girl ultimately decides to end the relationship, claiming the social norms of the day have left her no other choice. Produced by George "Shadow" Morton and released three times between 1965 and 1967, "Society's Child" finally became a national hit on its third release, after Leonard Bernstein featured it in a television special: Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution. The song's content was taboo for some radio stations, and they withdrew or banned it from their playlists; in her 2008 autobiography Society's Child, Ian recalls receiving hate mail and death threats as a response to the song, and mentions that a radio station in Atlanta that played it was burned down. In the summer of 1967, "Society's Child" reached number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her most successful single in the United States was "At Seventeen", released in 1975, a bittersweet commentary on adolescent cruelty, the illusion of popularity, and teenage angst, as reflected upon from the perspective of a twenty-four-year-old. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary chart. It won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance - Female. The song's album, Between the Lines, reached number one on Billboard's Album chart. It was quickly certified gold, and later earned a platinum certification for sales of over a million copies sold in the U.S.
Ian finally became one of the first "indie artists", resurfacing in 1993, with the worldwide release of Breaking Silence and its title song about incest. She also came out as a lesbian with that release. Her most recent album, Folk Is the New Black, was released in 2006; it is the first in over twenty years for which she did all the songwriting herself.
Days Like These
Janis Ian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
WHEN THE RAIN WON’T FALL
AND THE SKY IS SO DRY
THAT EVEN BIRDS CAN’T CALL
I CAN FEEL YOUR TEARS
DISAPPEARING IN THE AIR
CARRIED ON THE BREEZE
ON DAYS LIKE THESE
THAT MAKE A YOUNG MAN OLD
BEND HIS BACK AGAINST THE PROMISES
THAT LIFE SHOULD HOLD
THEY CAN MAKE HIM WISE
THEY CAN DRIVE HIM TO HIS KNEES
NOTHING COMES FOR FREE
ON DAYS LIKE THESE
BUT YOU CAN’T REAP WHAT YOU DON’T SOW
AND YOU CAN’T PLANT IN FALLOW GROUND
SO LET US FILL THIS EMPTY EARTH WITH HOPE
UNTIL THE RAINS COME DOWN
IN LIVES LIKE THESE
WHERE EVERY MOMENT COUNTS
I ADD UP ALL THE THINGS
THAT I CAN LIVE WITHOUT
WHEN THE ONE THING LEFT
IS THE BLESSING OF MY DREAMS
I CAN MAKE MY PEACE
WITH DAYS LIKE THESE
I CAN MAKE MY PEACE
WITH DAYS LIKE THESE
Janis Ian's "Days Like These" is a reflective and insightful song about the struggle of living through difficult times. The first verse depicts a desolate landscape where the rain won't fall and the sky is parched. The vivid imagery suggests a feeling of abandonment and desolation. However, amidst this barrenness, the singer expresses a sense of comfort in knowing that her tears are not in vain. She imagines her tears being carried away by the wind, and this brings her solace. It's a powerful metaphor for the transience of pain and suffering, and the possibility of hope and renewal.
The second verse is a reflection on the nature of life's challenges, and the toll they can take on a person. The line "years like these that make a young man old" is a poignant reminder that adversity can age us before our time. The singer suggests that challenges can be both a source of wisdom and a cause for despair. They can make us more experienced and thoughtful, but they can also bring us to our knees. The final lines of the verse are a reminder that nothing in life comes for free, and that we must all pay a price for the things that matter to us.
In the final verse, the singer offers a message of hope in the face of adversity. She suggests that we must be mindful of the things that truly matter in life, and be willing to let go of the rest. When we are left with nothing but the 'blessing of our dreams,' we can find peace amidst the desolation of difficult times. It's a powerful message that reminds us that even in the toughest of circumstances, we can find meaning and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
ON DAYS LIKE THESE
Days on which the singer finds themselves in a difficult situation
WHEN THE RAIN WON’T FALL
Times when the singer is experiencing an emotional drought
AND THE SKY IS SO DRY
When the world seems lifeless and devoid of hope
THAT EVEN BIRDS CAN’T CALL
When even the things that usually bring the artist joy have lost their charm
I CAN FEEL YOUR TEARS
The artist senses the pain of others even when they can't communicate it
DISAPPEARING IN THE AIR
Their pain seems to vanish without being addressed
CARRIED ON THE BREEZE
The pain dissipates and is carried away by the atmosphere
ON DAYS LIKE THESE
The artist repeats their initial statement to emphasize their point
IT’S YEARS LIKE THESE
The difficulties experienced during prolonged periods of hardship
THAT MAKE A YOUNG MAN OLD
Life's trials can take a toll on a person's body and spirit
BEND HIS BACK AGAINST THE PROMISES
The unfulfilled promises of life can cause a person to suffer
THAT LIFE SHOULD HOLD
What the artist expected from life but did not necessarily receive
THEY CAN MAKE HIM WISE
Experiencing hardships can help a person learn and grow
THEY CAN DRIVE HIM TO HIS KNEES
Difficulties can cause a person to feel powerless and hopeless
NOTHING COMES FOR FREE
Hardships teach the singer that life comes with a cost
ON DAYS LIKE THESE
The artist returns to the phrase they used earlier to conclude the stanza
BUT YOU CAN’T REAP WHAT YOU DON’T SOW
You cannot expect to get something for nothing
AND YOU CAN’T PLANT IN FALLOW GROUND
Attempting to grow something in soil that has been neglected is pointless
SO LET US FILL THIS EMPTY EARTH WITH HOPE
The singer urges the listener to actively work towards creating positivity in the world
UNTIL THE RAINS COME DOWN
Until the artist's emotional drought is relieved
IN LIVES LIKE THESE
The artist steps away from the personal experience of hardship to generalize
WHERE EVERY MOMENT COUNTS
The artist emphasizes the importance of valuing each moment
I ADD UP ALL THE THINGS
The singer takes stock of what truly matters
THAT I CAN LIVE WITHOUT
The artist identifies the things that are not necessary for a fulfilling life
WHEN THE ONE THING LEFT
When everything else is stripped away
IS THE BLESSING OF MY DREAMS
The only thing that remains is the hope for a better tomorrow
I CAN MAKE MY PEACE
The singer finds solace in the belief that things will get better
WITH DAYS LIKE THESE
The artist repeats their initial statement one last time
Contributed by Juliana R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chewy
I’ll legit fall asleep at night listening to this song on repeat. Good vibes
goneatlast
From Janis's 2000 lp "god & the fbi", this song's theme rings strong, vibrant. Ms. Ian continues to create beautifully haunting songs. See her in concert, and you'll be in the presence of one of America's purest talents.
Sarah Melvin
Amazing - Pacey & Joey - and been such a part of me growing up - and a very special song to me. It holds so many memories :)
cyanrazor Cel
Those last couple lines are so powerful... So inspiring.
CYBERNEMESIS/FR
Thx Oz for making me know this beautiful song performed by two very talented actors. And Tobias, Chris will always love you, always.
S M
True Love
bellamoonnature
Beautiful creation by you Elfriede ~ so very lovely! Happy day dear friend.
golden taco
Lol. I see I'm not the only one who learned of this song from Oz.
John pat Bains
I love that this was in Oz and dawsons creek
shellyred1985
reminds me of Dawsons Creek