Miki Howard - At Seventeen Lyrics






I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired.
The valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth.
And those of us with ravaged faces
Lacking in the social graces
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone
Who called to say come dance with me
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems
At seventeen.
A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
Whose name I never could pronounce
Said, Pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve.
The rich relationed hometown queen
Married into what she needs
A guarantee of company
And haven for the elderly.
Remember those who win the game
Lose the love they sought to gain
Indebentures of quality
And dubious integrity.
Their small town eyes will gape at you
In dull surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received
At seventeen.
To those of us who know the pain
Of valentines that never came,
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides for basketball.
It was long ago and far away
The world was younger than today
And dreams were all they gave for free
To ugly duckling girls like me.
We all play the game and when we dare
To cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown
That call and say, come dance with me
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me
At seventeen.





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Miki Howard At Seventeen Comments
  1. G.... M....

    She was singing about Gerald Levert

  2. S.... B....

    2020 who's listening to this classic .




    And don't forget to tell ur boo or baby .be mine ..

  3. D.... F....

    If you don’t understand you just don’t understand real sh..

  4. D.... T....

    Todd i will miss u..sorry i had to go. I might k.i.t via email..jk luv always..laSaundra cant b cloned Pree.take care sweetie

  5. J.... P....

    she absolutely killed this one

  6. T.... P....

    Still in 20/20 #Fire

  7. F.... W....

    2020 I'm still listening

  8. 3.... ....

    Who here in 2020

  9. K.... M....

    My my my. Niki sing some more please! I miss you!

  10. S.... M....

    My favorite singer in the whole wide world!! 👍🏼

  11. m.... ....

    🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥2020🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

  12. l.... l....

    We women love men that don't care nothing bout us are how we feel that's the sad truth about the situation never love nobody no more than they love you Iearned that because life thought me that and plus just seeing how things play out

  13. A.... A....

    The dayz of instruments 💕

  14. B.... G....

    So underrated.. she can sanggggg!!! These records label blk balled ah tru artist!! My Gawwwd!!! What ah voice!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

  15. T.... D....

    Taking N' 2020....♥️

  16. J.... H....

    I almost feel sorry for the younger generation, listening to what they think is music. Unfortunately, most of it is just loud, vulgar, repetitive noise. I remember when I was in college and use to stay up every night doing homework with BET's Midnight Love keeping me company. Good God, R & B was great back then! I think the 80s were the height of R & B slow jam/quiet storm music, due largely to the awesome ladies like Miki Howard, Shirley Murdock, Regina Belle, Stephanie Mills, Jennifer Holliday, Marva Hicks, Meli'sa Morgan, Wendy Moten, Phyllis Hyman, Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, Stacy Lattisaw, Anita Baker, Diana Ross, Vesta, Vanessa Williams, Oleta Adams, Brenda Russell and more. These ladies were true artists, every last one of them! (And R & B has never been as good as it was back then.)

  17. S.... A....

    Gerald Levert"s voice in the background in this song gives me chills..RIP my brother..

  18. A.... S....

    This is a great song. 2019

  19. J.... L....

    Baby be mine.

  20. W.... C....

    BEAUTIFUL SONG!!! Just....❤️💯🌹🦋🥀

  21. L.... D....

    Only gave u a token of my love this song was on my mind heavy this morning hate that I love u so much u hurt me bad this time AJM

  22. T.... M....

    Still here 2019😗😍😍

  23. E.... L....

    One of my ALL time favorites!

  24. S.... J....

    Baby Be Mine S.J.L.

  25. C.... S....

    Man I use to love this woman growing

  26. S.... A....

    I can’t help it but to play this song over and over again until I feel it is enough, now it’s that time again, 3rd replay.

  27. J.... W....

    This reminds me of my ex girlfriend.

  28. L.... N....

    When music was music 😭

  29. K.... S....

    Put some Respect on Ms. Miki Howard's name 👑💐💎

  30. B.... M....

    Love this song

  31. A.... W....

    That sounds like the BABY BE MINE from Michael album

  32. 2.... ....

    Who is listening 2019?

  33. C.... B....

    Saturday morning house cleaning song!!! Singing to the top of my lungs

  34. J.... P....

    I'm still loving this great singer and her powerful vocals in 2019

  35. T.... K....

    bae lol slowride turtle lolby by kizz .fb BEST back future right wwalkalone selah 🔥 🔥 🔥 witt west hmmm jamming music 🎶 we're going tagged eagles one free me queen 👑 lol rain

  36. J.... T....

    Favorite song🥰

  37. P.... M....

    Her Greatest Song Ever!! Great Vocals & Meaningful Lyrics

  38. M.... M....

    Even all these years later, that first verse she sings is the most powerful and thought provoking verse on the song!! My gawd, my gawd!!!!

  39. E.... S....

    Michael Jackson hurt her soul boy I tell you,love is a mf sometimes

    E.... S....

    It was Gerald Levert

  40. M.... P....

    This was and will always be the Shiznick!!!

  41. T.... E....

    Singing this to myself cause I've neglected to love me for so long!!! #iloveyougurrrl!

  42. L.... W....

    That’s my lady

  43. M.... G....

    Who's listening in 2019?

  44. R.... T....

    I keep telling myself to let it go but my heart won't accept that it's really over 💔 I Love You Forever Sweetz

  45. b.... 2....

    Great!!!!!!!!!!

  46. B.... B....

    yes it does..it haunts the soul 24-7! to be in love and die daily even at the thought of him...oh gosh I hurt so bad..

  47. B.... C....

    I immediately took to Miki Howard in 1987 from her debut album. Unfortunately she didn't receive the commercial success she should've.

  48. A.... J....

    Miss her 🎶 music

  49. m.... t....

    Damn she really loved Michael Jackson but she gave him a son despite his dissing her. Wow just wow ❤

    m.... t....

    @H yet somehow and someway after Michael and Stephanie ended he and very married Mikki low key got it in. She gets pregnant and drops out of touring with Michael and her marriage and personal life crumble. Now guess what Mikki Howard's nickname has been all of her life "Billie".


    Yes it's a nod to Billie Holiday and her style which Mikki co-opted but still the revelation that she's known as Billie and Michael wrote a song dissing a woman named Billie and she's till this day bound to a non disclosure contract to never reveal who's Brandon father is imo way to many coincidences. So in my re-listening to this song it's Michael she is singing to and the token of her love is Brandon though it cost her on a personal level.




    Now I have no direct proof but based on Ms. Howard's revelations and other high profile circumstantial evidence its case cIosed. I regrettably say too that if in fact Michael is Brandon's father he was a bastard in how he handled this matter. To bad Mikki can't get Maury Povich involved.

    m.... t....

    @H The dissing of Ms. Howard but back the Mrs. Johnson was when he wrote the song "Billie Jean". As I pointed out in my lengthy post Mikki's nickname within her circle has always been Billie as her singing style is comparable to Billie Holiday. So Mike was dogging her. But she didn't put a gun to his head and make him lay with her.

    m.... t....

    @H Michael was jehovah witness so he didn't want the heat that he got it in with a married woman in between the sheets, but looking at Mikki I certainly understand.

    m.... t....

    @H it's all in how you do things. She sacrificed everything for him and behind the scenes got dragged and spiraled into depression and alleged drug use. So in retrospect as God don't like ugly that incident with the Pepsi campaign and other ill fated unfortunate situations Michael faced was classic reap what you sow retribution. Imo Ms. Howard didn't deserve it. Clearly though Michael was bitter and effed up in the head behind Diana Ross and that's why he mistreated not only Mikki but his other ladies in his life no pun intended.

  50. d.... e....

    2019 and this still is in my playlist!

  51. C.... ....

    2019 and beyond...her heart hurt and so does mine listening to her...she was in LOVE! Dear Lord, I hope i'll love and be loved like this one day...

  52. L.... O....

    Miki Howard could blow. Her vocals were out standing. Does anyone know if she is still performing? That lady could sang!

  53. n.... ....

    I swear, her eyes belong to which ever angel in heaven sees through every bit of your soul. They are hauntingly beautiful and intense

  54. A.... G....

    Only been in love a couple of times, but, it NEVER worked out. No matter how hard I tried, it just fizzled away.

    A.... G....

    Its better to know the feeling of be in love , even if don't , work, than to never have that feeling, because just imagine when that right person comes into your life, to love you equally, that feeling is something' that all the words in the world cannot explain hope you fine that true one ,

  55. S.... M....

    Ooh i love me some miki howard ,ooh she can sing to me all day,erday.

  56. A.... H....

    Still good in 2019

  57. I.... R....

    October 2.2019 at 9:02 pm

  58. S.... J....

    Her voice gives me chills.

  59. A.... G....

    Whitney came and they put all the focus on her and knocked out these beautiful women of the 80s

  60. l.... v....

    👌👌👌

  61. K.... J....

    Such a talented singer. She hummed this one out!!!

  62. l.... s....

    She talking about mj

  63. T.... B....

    She's a true legend in my book a classic artist my book

  64. T.... P....

    Sang that #shit ....

  65. m.... B....

    Seat back with your favorite glass of wine 🍷 and light some candles type music 🎵🎶🎼🎤 real music when people was singing this is real R&B ❤️👍

  66. C.... W....

    Love this Lady.❤

  67. M.... R....

    Hands down best song still out hear she singing to her true love and she feel it all in her soul #sept19

  68. C.... T....

    Bad mf ...fa real tho!!!!!!!!!!

  69. D.... R....

    Running out of lies

  70. K.... W....

    Baby be mine...Miki Howard..sung this...nice

  71. L.... T....

    Mikki hurry up and make a comeback.

  72. L.... A....

    Oh baby baby baby!!!!!
    This song gives me chills

  73. S.... W....

    Who still is listening to this song 2019

  74. e.... ....

    My song. Always loved Mikki.

  75. c.... ....

    I can't believe how beautiful her voice is

  76. d.... j....

    Yesss my song...even though I'm 14 years old😬😂

  77. J.... H....

    Still have my CD. Grammy are easily forgotten but not the feelings songs bring.

  78. J.... W....

    Baby mines well when I'm waiting on you

  79. L.... D....

    So beautiful....never got to know me....only gave you a token...love it...💘 💘 💘...I'm just somebody you dont know...💘 💘..Awesomeness......

  80. L.... L....

    100 FOREVER

  81. C.... W....

    One of my favorite songs..👌👌

  82. L.... T....

    This child can sing.

  83. K.... N....

    Da background ASSASSINATED it.....dammitt girls..whewww!
    Ahhh ahh ahh oooo oou. Shidd

  84. H.... H....

    Diana Ross and the Supreme big band 60s template That Hey Whaoooooo,Heeeeeey Words Left Unspoken!!!

  85. M.... S....

    Miki you are a bad woman!!!

  86. s.... g....

    2019 anyone??

  87. k.... ....

    Baby were made to that sax solo!

  88. N.... C....

    Seen Shawn Carter......xx

  89. I.... S....

    Who’s listening in 2019?

  90. R.... Q....

    Sing YO FACE OFF MIKI! 👏🏾👏🏾🎤🎼🎶

    R.... Q....

    Reya's Corner 👍

  91. j.... j....

    impeccable vocals from one of the best to ever do it

  92. C.... p....

    I once had an experience like that he only wanted what I had to offer him I soon found out and got rid of him

  93. C.... p....

    I love this song ❤️❤️ dam 😍

  94. C.... C....

    The fuckin queen 👸🏽

  95. P.... P....

    🔎 💎👍

  96. C.... J....

    Bad slow jam love the back ground vocals in this song

  97. D.... B....

    Summer 2019...man do I miss this era so much...the music, the fashion, the hair & flair...the music shifted and so did we!!! The 90s...NOTHING LIKE IT!!!