Younger Generation Blues

(album: Janis Ian - 1967)

I was standing on the corner, I was smoking on the sly
When along comes a grownup from the grown-up FBI
He said this ain't Marlboro country, hon
Where's you get your cigarettes? You know you are too young
Then up stepped three more governmental nuts
Who'd been laying in the gutter disguised as cigarette butts

If you think I'm hating grown-ups, you've got me all wrong
They're very nice people when they stay where they belong
But I'm the younger generation
And your rules are giving me fixations
I've got those younger generation, regurgitating blues

Called for the sergeant. He rolled up in a hearse
And he called me a lousy no-good juvenile pervert
He gave me a lecture on cancer of the lung
Said anyone who smokes is a low down dirty bum
"Don't let me catch you smoking around here again", he said
And he took another drag of his own cigarette

If you think I'm hating grown-ups, you've got me all wrong
They're very nice people when they stay where they belong
But I'm the younger generation
And your rules are giving me fixations
I've got those younger generation, regurgitating blues

Going down the corner, I was going against the light
Which had just turned green, when up comes this guy
Says don't you know that's a federal offense?
Seems like kids your age just ain't got no sense
Don't you know you're risking juvenile arrest?
Committing suicide is punishable by death

If you think I'm hating grown-ups, you've got me all wrong
They're very nice people when they stay where they belong
But I'm the younger generation
And your rules are giving me fixations
I've got those younger generation, regurgitating blues

Sitting on a city park bench, Reader's Digest in my hand
When down next to me sits this liberal looking man
Who says you're a cute chick, I believe in being free
I swung at him with my pocket book don't you natural around me!
He took out a badge, put some handcuffs on my hands
"Now you're carrying a weapon, self defense be damned"

If you think I'm hating grown-ups, you've got me all wrong
They're very nice people when they stay where they belong
But I'm the younger generation
And your rules are giving me fixations
I've got those younger generation, regurgitating blues