Janis Ian
PMP Network Presents
Janis Ian joins Mark Snyder in the studio to discuss her iconic song 'Society's Child.' She reflects on writing the hit at a young age and its connection to the civil rights movement. Ian shares her perspective on the role of a songwriter as a chronicler of their times.
Janis Ian
About Janis Ian
Janis Ian is an American singer-songwriter who achieved breakthrough success at age 14 with "Society's Child," a controversial 1966 single about interracial romance during the civil rights era. She later earned widespread acclaim for "At Seventeen" (1975), which helped propel her album Between the Lines to number one. Over a career spanning six decades, Ian received nine Grammy nominations, winning Best Spoken Word Recording in 2012 for her autobiography.
In this interview
- Recalls writing and releasing "Society's Child" at age 14 or 15.
- Reflects on the song's connection to the civil rights movement.
- Describes songwriters as troubadours and diarists capturing the feeling of the times.
- Discusses the role of accessible music in chronicling contemporary society.
“We're sort of the troubadours and diarists of this century.”— Janis Ian, in this interview
Since this interview
In May 2022, Ian contracted a virus that caused irreparable damage to her vocal cords, ending her performing career. She released The Light at the End of the Line as her final studio album that year. A documentary about her life, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, premiered at DOC NYC in November 2024 and received limited theatrical release in March 2025.
