Defend the indefensible : "R.O.C.K. In the U.S.A."

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Gosh, I had the misfortune of hearing this ditty in a restaurant earlier this evening, I had been blissfully spending the last 15 years w/o any memory of it. I mean, was there ever a more pedestrian hack than mr. cougar? OK, that's a bit over the top, he did sweeten a lot of his dreck with some semi-decent hooks, but the lyrics??? and the phony everyman schtick??? this has got to be one of his weaker "hits" - tell me i'm wrong...

R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. - John Cougar Mellencamp

They come from the cities
And they come from the smaller towns
Beat up cars with guitars and drummers
Goin crack boom bam
Chorus
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A., Yeah, Yeah!
Rockin' in the U.S.A.
Said goodbye to their families
Said goodbye to their friends
With pipe dreams in their heads
And very little money in their hands
Some are black and some are white
Ain't to proud to sleep on the floor tonight
With the blind faith of Jesus you know that they just might, be
Rockin' in the U.S.A.Hey!
Voices from nowhereAnd voices from the larger towns
Filled our head full of dreams
Turned the world upside downT
here was Frankie Lyman-Bobby Fuller-Mitch Ryder(They were Rockin')Jackie Wilson-Shangra-las-Young Rascals(They were Rockin')
Spotlight on Martha Reeves
Let's don't forget James BrownRockin' in the U.S.A.Rockin' in the U.S.A.
Hey!Chorus

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 02:26 (twenty years ago)

Mellencamp was thoughtful enough not to appear in the video at all, as all the main characters are played by members of his backup band.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Monday, 27 March 2006 02:32 (twenty years ago)

I mean, was there ever a more pedestrian hack than mr. cougar

Hush, you. You've never heard the rest of Scarecrow, which sounds better (tougher, sparer, with a band led by a guitarist as good as Springsteen himself) than the rest of the overrated Springsteen's work from the same period.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 02:51 (twenty years ago)

i like how the names he mentions aren't obvious "rock" stuff - i.e. instead of chuck berry and little richard, it's frankie lyman and the shangri-las. it's also pretty cool that he didn't forget james brown.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 27 March 2006 02:54 (twenty years ago)

Ha! Faint praise from where I sit. (and I have heard the singles off Scarecrow at least)

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 02:57 (twenty years ago)

Then I hope you love "Rain on the Scarecrow."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 03:03 (twenty years ago)

seriously one of the worst songs, though I agree that the name-checking section is surprisingly unpredictable.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 27 March 2006 03:03 (twenty years ago)

mellencamp's best moment is "crumblin down" - easily one of the best singles of the '80s. "rain on the scarecrow" is real good too. alfred is right that springsteen's work from that era is overrated (unless he means nebraska, in which case NO WAY DUDE), most of born in the usa sounds like bruce imitating himself. though "dancing in the dark" is still a fantastic single.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 27 March 2006 03:08 (twenty years ago)

xpost

yeah, it's definitely better.

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 03:13 (twenty years ago)

Ugh, if there's anything worse than wannabe rockers, it's the romanticization of wannabe rockers. This song stinks to heaven.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 03:43 (twenty years ago)

Acoustic gtr rhythms and backing vocals taken nearly verbatim from Neil Diamond's (great) "Cherry Cherry", which is kinda appropriate. Not a terrible song but far from Mellencamp's best. I'd much rather hear any one of those namechecked performers (or "Cherry Cherry"). Uh-Huh remains my personal Mellencamp LP of choice.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:11 (twenty years ago)

I also don't get the ILM love for Mellencamp -- I find him to be overblown kitsch.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:12 (twenty years ago)

great tune, great album, great singer

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:16 (twenty years ago)

I mean, I like "Jacqueline Onassis" better, but this is still pretty great

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:17 (twenty years ago)

Scarecrow is probably the only flawless album Mellencamp ever made. And, yes, I'm including this song with the rest of it.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:18 (twenty years ago)

oh wait, yeah, this is on Scarecrow right? I thought it was on Uh-Huh. I think i got it confused with "Play Guitar", his other great I-IV-Ver

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:22 (twenty years ago)

defend the indefensible: rockist criticisms of an über-rockist song (and an über-rockist artist)!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:58 (twenty years ago)

seriously, this really isn't THAT bad of a song. certainly not the best offa scarecrow. but if yer gonna get yer dick hard for 80s heartland/roots/arena/whatever rock, better it should be the spare stones-y stuff w/ a tight and professional rhythm section (which mellencamp almost ALWAYS delivered) as opposed to boring 3d-rate bar band crap or gloppy springsteen schlock.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:03 (twenty years ago)

yeah, that's what i want from Johnny Krueger, those tight & professional riddims...... Dig those grooves, man!

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:22 (twenty years ago)

so what DO you want? and why is cougar's "everyman schtick" any more "fake" than springsteen's?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:26 (twenty years ago)

and even if it is, why do you give a shit?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:26 (twenty years ago)

who said i liked Springsteen, cuz I don't (that was my "faint praise" reference upthread). there can be more than one faker working the same scam per genre. i love the default rockist charge, if someone dislikes JCM they must love BS, is that the equation we're laboring under?

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:34 (twenty years ago)

is there any "everyman" pose that isn't a schtick? i mean how many GENUINE everymen are out there?

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:44 (twenty years ago)

is there any "everyman" pose that isn't a schtick? i mean how many GENUINE everymen are out there?

which is EXACTLY my point. so i wonder why timmy is so focused on this matter?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:46 (twenty years ago)

is there any "everyman" pose that isn't a schtick? i mean how many GENUINE everymen are out there?

which is EXACTLY my point.

congrats, we can all agree on something, drinks are on me!!

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:52 (twenty years ago)

so what DO you want? and why is cougar's "everyman schtick" any more "fake" than springsteen's?!?

-- Eisbär (llamasfu...), March 27th, 2006.

and even if it is, why do you give a shit?!?

-- Eisbär (llamasfu...), March 27th, 2006.

1) I don't really like Springsteen and his everyman schtick.

2) Springsteen is a much better writer and actor, which means he can do the schtick more convincingly.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:55 (twenty years ago)

Rain on the Scarecrow sounds like a college creative writing assignment based on a Walker Evans photo. If Springsteen wrote the song, he might at least breathe some life into the song's speaker.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 05:59 (twenty years ago)

i think hurting is sort of getting at what prompted my starting this war - I hear stuff by Bruce that annoys me all the time, but I guess I find Mellencamp to be both annoying and lame (sometimes, I did say I was being a bit over the top just to get the ball rolling, he does have some "pop smarts" or whatever you want to call it, but jeez, the song in question is really crap, I will not budge on this matter, sorry to ruffle feathers, don't want to indulge in nastiness)

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:04 (twenty years ago)

Mellencamp's lyrics are really bad you guys! Come on!

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:09 (twenty years ago)

you two are made for each other!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:12 (twenty years ago)

timmy you really don't get the point of 'defend the indefensible' threads huh?

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:13 (twenty years ago)

I've never seen a defend the indefensible thread where there wasn't counteroffense.

Anyway, here's one case where I think the conventional wisdom is right -- he's the poor man's Springsteen and his Americana-ish lyrics are offensively bad. When he stays out of that territory he's inoffensive at best.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:18 (twenty years ago)

I've never seen a defend the indefensible thread where there wasn't counteroffense. - yes we know, you're new, we get it

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:23 (twenty years ago)

Will you teach me to be nasty, Jimbo?

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:28 (twenty years ago)

yes we know, you're new, we get it

I've probably been here almost 2 years. I used to post under "Hurting"

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:29 (twenty years ago)

http://www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/nasty%20habit%20view%202%20mod2.jpg

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:30 (twenty years ago)

plz to post more 25 yr old reheated rolling stone ready attitude

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:31 (twenty years ago)

i mean if you're looking for more pedestrian hacks than john cougar you're definitely in the right place

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:32 (twenty years ago)

Plz defend more crappy writers

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:32 (twenty years ago)

If you search defend the indefensible threads you'll see that every single one has a few people saying "no, sorry, indefensible."

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:34 (twenty years ago)

well if jann wenner printed it, it must be true. do you always post drunk??

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:34 (twenty years ago)

John Cougar Mellencamp is the Beatles of people called John Cougar Mellencamp. Or perhaps he is rather the John Cougar Mellencamp of the Beatles of people called John Cougar Mellencamp. Either way, his name is definitely John Cougar Mellencamp.

― latebloomer: My name *COCKS SHOTGUN* is Horace! (latebloomer), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:34 (twenty years ago)

hurting not every single one of those people saying 'sorry, indefensible' are the one's starting the thread though. plz to get reading comprehension skills, go back to posting on fmbb or whereever, koritfw.

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:38 (twenty years ago)

and hurting i'm not defending you!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:39 (twenty years ago)

hurting not every single one of those people saying 'sorry, indefensible' are the one's starting the thread though

Actually, most of them start with someone saying "Hey, this record stinks. Tell me why I'm wrong."

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:44 (twenty years ago)

S.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001DVXGQ.01-AG0X28ZARWO1W._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:45 (twenty years ago)

ihttp://www.shadesofthewest.com/Images/belligerentblaze.jpg

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:46 (twenty years ago)

S.O.C.K. in the U.S.A (Part II)

http://www.gmrmedia.com/dolph/gallery/folder5/rocky42.jpg

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:48 (twenty years ago)

American Flag Neon Guitar Clock = C.L.O.C.K. IN THE U.S.A.!

http://images.misupply.com/products/original/Gifts%20of%20Note/127387.jpg

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:50 (twenty years ago)

aah, Sly & the Rocky franchise, now we're talking some real pedestrian stuff.

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:51 (twenty years ago)

someone's mom got them a 'word of the day' calendar

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:56 (twenty years ago)

Really? Congrats, James.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 06:59 (twenty years ago)

"someone"

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 07:00 (twenty years ago)

[Rapidly becoming a serious candidate for "Funniest Thread EVAH"!]

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 27 March 2006 07:22 (twenty years ago)

I just got back from the bar and slapped on 'Uh-Huh', and I can safely say that, yeah it is freakin amazing.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Monday, 27 March 2006 07:25 (twenty years ago)

"play guitar" better than "r.o.c.k." but that is mostly down to production ... UH HUH prod so raw

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Monday, 27 March 2006 07:26 (twenty years ago)

the gangsta version = G.L.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 07:26 (twenty years ago)

blount is just the worst

― Mellencamp, Monday, 27 March 2006 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Rain on the Scarecrow sounds like a college creative writing assignment based on a Walker Evans photo. If Springsteen wrote the song, he might at least breathe some life into the song's speaker.

I'm not sure why you keep harping on lyrics; most lyrics sound like college creative writing assignment (if not worse) to my ears anyway. The intro to ROTS, with those guitar peals and those drums, is what gets me, and the almost skeletal arrangement.

Scarecrow is probably the only flawless album Mellencamp ever made. And, yes, I'm including this song with the rest of it.

Not flawless perhaps, but The Lonesome Jubilee is damn close.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 14:32 (twenty years ago)

Yeah. Jubilee and Uh Huh are right there with it. Couldn't call Jubilee flawless because "Cherry Bomb" really grates me (yet "Paper In Fire" is my favorite JCM song of all time).

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 14:46 (twenty years ago)

R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. - helping to make John Mellencamp rich so he doesn't have to work as often.

― Dave AKA Dave (dave225.3), Monday, 27 March 2006 14:54 (twenty years ago)

Maybe the sentiment of the song could be seen as jingoistic, but it seems like a fairly harmless bit of patriotic piffle to me, and it's a catchy tune to boot. I'd take this over Neil Young's "Keep on Rockin in the Free world".

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 27 March 2006 14:58 (twenty years ago)

xpost Well, take away his lyrics and you just have some boring three-chord dude jams.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 14:59 (twenty years ago)

As many people on here have suggested, that this is one of the lesser tracks on *Scarecrow* only reiterates what a great album *Scarecrow* is. (And Coug was one of the greatest artists of the '80s, period. But my opinion of him is well known, and easily searched elsewhere.)

― xhuxk, Monday, 27 March 2006 15:02 (twenty years ago)

I can't stand this song.

― Joe (Joe), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:07 (twenty years ago)

>Scarecrow is probably the only flawless album Mellencamp ever made. And, yes, I'm including this song with the rest of it.

Not flawless perhaps, but The Lonesome Jubilee is damn close.<

And the four albums BEFORE Scarecrow aren't too shabby, either. (And actually, *American Fool* is *better* than *Scarecrow.* And face it, there has *never* been a flawless album, ever, by anybody. But 4 to 6 straight albums *approaching* flawlessness is a pretty good streak.)

― xhuxk, Monday, 27 March 2006 15:07 (twenty years ago)

I'll tell you what's flawless: the 2-disc comp released a couple of years ago.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:10 (twenty years ago)

Mellencamp was thoughtful enough not to appear in the video at all, as all the main characters are played by members of his backup band.

Actually he opens and closes the video in a what's either a clip of some interview or a mock one (I hope its the latter) where he's describing how lucky he feels to have been around during the 60s radio era. I think this song is a better way of expressing that than one of those "things ain't the way they used to be" tracks that focus on the sluts & moneychangers of today. It's a fun enough song, good beat.

x-post Alfred you're not talking about Words & Music I hope.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:13 (twenty years ago)

It's pretty damn great; I don't even mind the Babyface cowrite and the one with the hip-hop beats.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:15 (twenty years ago)

The one with the hip-hop beats is ok, but its the "ok i'm a serious writer now" numbers also from that era that stray far from flawlessness.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:16 (twenty years ago)

But he was always hobbled by the Serious Writer jones! "Life goes on, even after the thrill of living is gone"? (ok, he did have better guitarists then, but still)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:20 (twenty years ago)

Actually, he always thought it was a serious writer, it's just when he stopped offsetting that with beats that you have to close the door.

x-post!

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:20 (twenty years ago)

and actually I don't really like "Jack & Diane"! It's one of those boomer songs like "Glory Days" that make me wonder why more of them haven't killed themselves.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:21 (twenty years ago)

Agreed -- both are terrible songs.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

But Jack & Diane at least has that neat guitar-riff thing and the handclaps.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:23 (twenty years ago)

Jessica Simpson rescued those, in her one noble act on this planet (unless telling us about an amazing zit cream counts too).

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:24 (twenty years ago)

xp - thanks to Mick Ronson!

― pyjamagrama (teenagequiet), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:25 (twenty years ago)

I prefer him when he submits to his rockist tendencies, i.e. "I'm part of the rock 'n' roll canon, here's another cruncy guitar ditty" – stuff like "This Time," "Authority Song," "Rumbleseat," "Get A Leg Up," etc.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:28 (twenty years ago)

Put Jack & Diane in context, though. 1982 was an awful time for rock radio (Rick Springfield, Journey, etc.), and Jack & Diane probably sounded really pretty different and new at the time (I was six, so I don't recall firsthand).

xxxx-post

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Rick Springfield was great!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:29 (twenty years ago)

the J&D guitar riff + handclaps is like my least favorite thing of any song ever.

I am actually completely dumbfounded by this thread.

JOHN MELLENCAMP, PEOPLE??????

xpost Journey / Rock Springfield >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mellencamp

― Allyzay Rofflesberger (allyzay), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:30 (twenty years ago)

CHECK IT:

"R.O.C.K. in the USA" is 10X better than the similarly themed song from the same era, "Heart of Rock n' Roll" by Huey Lewis and the News. (OK, maybe not 10X but it is better...)

(That's the best defense I can muster here...)

― Matt Carlson (mattsoncarlhew), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:30 (twenty years ago)

it's no rain on the scarecrow/blood on the plow.

mellancamp is a douche.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

Hey, I'm not pissing on Rick Springfield or Journey... I happen to like both. But neither really ever stepped outside of a certain mold if you know what I mean.

(Oh, and I was actually eight in 1982... forgot how to add and subtract this morning, apparently)

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

Rick Springfield: "Don't Talk To Strangers," "I've Done Everything For You," and his magnum opus "Jesse's Girl" piss on Mellencamp from a very great height.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Oh God, that's right...but from what I remember, MTV would often hack off the bumpers for the sake of brevity.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:33 (twenty years ago)

"I've Done Everything For You"

Ugh, that's exactly the song I think of when dawn of the '80s radio rock cheese comes to mind. I'll give you the other two, though, and raise you "Love Somebody."

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:35 (twenty years ago)

The snare drum sound on "R.O.C.K" gives me a headache, but this *is* a catchy little rocker. And as many times as I've heard it on the radio, I know like 5% of those lyrics.

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

"i need a lover" is hands down the best thing that john cougar mellencamp has ever done -- discuss!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:47 (twenty years ago)

but before we get too misty-eyed about 70s john cougar, take a look at THIS!

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd100/d117/d11753f4f61.jpg

helloooooooooooooooo sailor!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:51 (twenty years ago)

the allmusic.com review of the above record:

Following the exact formula of Chestnut Street Incident, John Cougar's second album The Kid Inside is arguably worse, demonstrating no grit in its Stonesy rhythms, no hooks in its music and not much of anything in its lyrics.

ouch!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:51 (twenty years ago)

i'd take Huey over Johnny, at least he's just a goofball who doesn't take himself seriously, as an "artist"

oh, and Eisbar, i'm sorry i got a bit snappish way upthread, it was just the second time i had been accused of liking Bruce, and i was getting tired of it.

― timmy tannin (pompous), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:56 (twenty years ago)

I'm not surprised that he's hated by NY/Jersey types, he's definitely less showtuney than Bruce, but I lived in Bloomington, Indiana for four years so COOOOOOOG.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Though frankly I don't need more than a few tracks from either that weren't made from like 83-88.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:58 (twenty years ago)

Now y'all know how Miamians feel about Gloria Estefan.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:59 (twenty years ago)

>1982 was an awful time for rock radio <

So what are all the 2006 radio songs that are better than "Jack and Diane" and "Jessie's Girl" and "Don't Stop Believin'," again? They must have slipped right by me, but I would sure love to hear them.

― xhuxk, Monday, 27 March 2006 15:59 (twenty years ago)

no prob, timmy.

and anthony -- i'm from NJ, and i prefer COOOOOG's corny pseudo-stonesy songs to springsteen's showtuney schlock ANY DAY.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:59 (twenty years ago)

Estefan too, re: 83-88.

We're only three months in, Chuck! Cross your fingers!

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:01 (twenty years ago)

the fact that huey lewis's old band clover was EC's back-up band on my aim is true goes some ways in absolving mr. lewis from his later missteps. that, and "bad is bad."

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:02 (twenty years ago)

http://www.arthurp.com/images/va_art_johncougar.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:02 (twenty years ago)

WTF?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:03 (twenty years ago)

"great tune, great album, great singer"

I'm with Stormy.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:03 (twenty years ago)

The Coog was on this SCTV episode where he was Buddy Love to Ed Grimley's nutty professor. At one point we get to see Coog with the giant cowlick.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:03 (twenty years ago)

Well hell, throw in 2005 if you want to. (Considering that the best song on the radio last year was Shooter Jennings blatantly imitating John Cougar in 1982, I'm not sure if that one should count.) xp

― xhuxk, Monday, 27 March 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

But Jack & Diane at least has that neat guitar-riff thing and the handclaps.

yeah that part is killer ------- has anyone ever sampled that for a rap song????? its beggin for it.

― reacher, Monday, 27 March 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

I never said rock radio in 2006 was all that great either, Chuck. I was referring to the song that started this whole thread and lamenting the fact rock radio hasn't really been anything too special since the '60s.

xxxxxxxxx- post

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

That transmogrified Slayer-or-whatever riff in "99 Problems" sounds like J&D-on-'roids.

(xpost)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:05 (twenty years ago)

xpost, actually, what really makes it is that "Du-dun"

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:06 (twenty years ago)

I love the video too.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:07 (twenty years ago)

More incredibly awful Mellencamp lyrics:

Well I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Prob'ly die in a small town
Oh, those small communities (CLUNK!)

All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity (CLUNK!)

Educated in a small town
Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town
Used to daydream in that small town
Another boring romantic that's me (DOUBLE CLUNK!)

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:08 (twenty years ago)

If I'm not mistaken the photos of "Diane" were of his mistress at the time, I don't think he'd divorced the previous wife yet. Might be wrong.

x-post Shooter Jennings wasn't on rock radio! If we're gonna play fast and loose with genres I'd say that "Mr. Brightside," "Since U Been Gone" and "Little Sister" beats "Jack & Diane," "Jessie's Girl" and "Don't Stop Believin'."

x-post GO BACK TO JERSEY, HURTING.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:10 (twenty years ago)

Anthony may be on to something. TS: "Jessie's Girl" vs "Mr Brightside": Revenge of the Angry Nerds Wearing Eyeliner.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:12 (twenty years ago)

1) I'm not even from New Jersey.

2) I DON'T LIKE SPRINGSTEEN! QUIT PIGEONHOLING ME! UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO I WOULDN'T EVEN ADMIT THAT HE HAD ANY REDEEMING QUALITIES! GAH!

3) Jessie's Girl pwns all of these songs.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:13 (twenty years ago)

but the point is probably moot.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:13 (twenty years ago)

Sure, but Jessie's Girl doesn't have the pretenses of Small Town so I forgive its lyrics more.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:20 (twenty years ago)

I will not forget from where it is that I come from.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:21 (twenty years ago)

But again, John Mellencamp songs, at least the "serious" ones kind of ask you to listen to the words in a way that Rick Springfield songs just don't.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:22 (twenty years ago)

Point taken, but lyrics are like the 5th-6th most important aspect in determining the aesthetic quality of a pop song, and no more.

(xpost, re "Small Town" lyrics)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:23 (twenty years ago)

...in this world in which we live in, hoping you make it there if you can (xp)

― xhuxk, Monday, 27 March 2006 16:23 (twenty years ago)

hoping you CAN make it there if you can (oops)

abbadavid, who are your favorite songwriters anyway? (just curious.)

― xhuxk, Monday, 27 March 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

I generally wouldn't make so much out of pop song lyrics, but there's just something about Mellencamp lyrics, they so much get in the way. And at least in Small Town and R.O.C.K., there just isn't enough to distract me from them. Whereas Jessie's Girl is just an awesome tune.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:27 (twenty years ago)

thread took unexpected turn for the awesome.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:30 (twenty years ago)

xpost Hayes/Porter wrote great pop songs and I'm sure you could find bad lines in them. Mellencamp's 2-d common-man act just grates on me to the point that I can't enjoy his songs.

And Jessie's Girl IS a great song about lusting after someone's girlfriend, regardless of clunkers.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:31 (twenty years ago)

Hearing the 2CD at work, it was definitely hard to stomach his pretensons, but those 80s albums still work pretty good for me as earnest product. I wish more artists would make videos chock full of unglossy small town imagery. I'd like Fall Out Boy more if they did that.

x-post Nobody's hating on "Jessie's Girl"! Relax.

― Zwan (miccio), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:32 (twenty years ago)

"defend the totally unassailed"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:35 (twenty years ago)

WILL EVERYONE PLEASE STOP BAGGING ON "TAINTED LOVE" IN THIS THREAD PLEASE, it's awesome not crap

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:37 (twenty years ago)

His hair in the "Rumbleseat" video weighs more than his entire body.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:38 (twenty years ago)

actually, when Scarecrow first came out, I thought that "oh those small communities" line in "Small Town" WAS clunky -- maybe even on purpose; I wasn't sure whether it reminded me of Randy Newman or reminded me of something Randy Newman's lyrics would make fun of. But in the two decades since, its unclunkiness has been proven time and again, hundreds or more likely thousands of times. So I was wrong. Wound up being one of the best hit singles of the '80s, maybe not quite up there with "Pink Houses" and "Thundering Hearts," but close. Coug won, I lost.

I don't know if ever listened to that 2 CD set, though. Most of Coug's post-*Jubilee* stuff is unbearable, though there a thread on here somewhere where people discuss the few rare exceptions to that rule.

― xhuxkx, Monday, 27 March 2006 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Post Jubilee is spotty, but Whenever We Wanted and portions of Human Wheels (specifically the title track and the awesome "What If I Came Knockin'") are up there with his best.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:42 (twenty years ago)

I just thought about this song the other day when a telephone operator asked me to spell "Little Rock" (which is apparently right up there with "Albuquerque" and "Cour d'Coeur".)

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:43 (twenty years ago)

Springsteen at least does a 2.5-d common man with a "poetic soul."

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:44 (twenty years ago)

I just thought about this song the other day when a telephone operator asked me to spell "Little Rock"

I might have thought about "Stupid Girl" or "Johnny Can't Read"...

― Dave AKA Dave (dave225.3), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:47 (twenty years ago)

"Get A Leg Up" is great, and so are the rest of the Wherever We Wanted singles.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:47 (twenty years ago)

Hurting OTM re: Mellencamp (emphasis on 'camp'), Springsteen, and 'Jessie's Girl'.

― cdwill (cdwill), Monday, 27 March 2006 16:53 (twenty years ago)

Mellencamp's best song is "Just Another Day."

― shookout (shookout), Monday, 27 March 2006 17:57 (twenty years ago)

Damn good drummer, damn bad drum sound.

― spinetingler, Tuesday, 4 April 2006 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Tracer Hand, is that Arthur Penhallow in that photo?

― hank (hank s), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 12:34 (twenty years ago)

"R.O.C.K. in the USA" is 10X better than the similarly themed song from the same era, "Heart of Rock n' Roll" by Huey Lewis and the News. (OK, maybe not 10X but it is better...)

And "R.O.C.K. in the USA" is 1/10 as good as Garland Jeffreys' "R.O.C.K." from 1981's "Escape Artist". Big(?) hit from that lp was a remake of 96 Tears. Garland was very Costello-like for this one.

Tracer Hand, is that Arthur Penhallow in that photo?

It sure is, baaaaaaaaaby

― J Arthur Rank (Quin Tillian), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 13:15 (twenty years ago)

Isn't he dead now? Penhallow, not Melloncamp.

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:ThVJG_x_3jEmQM:www.blogography.com/photos8/FlagUndies.jpg
C.O.C.K. in the USA.

― js (honestengine), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 13:42 (twenty years ago)

"But Jack & Diane at least has that neat guitar-riff thing and the handclaps.
yeah that part is killer ------- has anyone ever sampled that for a rap song????? its beggin for it."

I can't believe I know this, but that part is sampled on one of Jessica Simpson's early hits. I forget which one, but she looked really uncomfortable in the video.

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 14:46 (twenty years ago)

penhallow is alive and well on detroit afternoon radio from what i can tell

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 14:50 (twenty years ago)

"i need a lover" is hands down the best thing that john cougar mellencamp has ever done -- discuss!

If we're only talking about the first 3 minutes or so (the Meatloaf-esque bombastic intro) before he starts singing, then yes.

― drench, Tuesday, 4 April 2006 15:48 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

(kid) R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

http://www.doublespeakshow.com/images/2006/06/kid%20rock.jpg

― gershy, Saturday, 19 May 2007 05:58 (nineteen years ago)

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

The MELONS ARE ROTTEN AND THE CAMPERS ARE SMELLING!!!!

― Bimble, Saturday, 19 May 2007 06:00 (nineteen years ago)

Also doesn't that picture look like Axl Rose?

― Bimble, Saturday, 19 May 2007 06:02 (nineteen years ago)

this is better than "old time rock and roll" anyway

― deej, Saturday, 19 May 2007 06:10 (nineteen years ago)

JUST TAKE THOSE OLD RECORDS OFF THE SHELF!!! BAHAHAHAHAH

― Bimble, Saturday, 19 May 2007 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

this is better than "old time rock and roll" anyway

-- deej, Saturday, May 19, 2007 6:10 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

Ugh. I hear that opening piano line (which is actually kind of cool) and look for a way to stop the madness. Barring the possiblity of that, I discreetly take the cyanide pill I stow away for such occassions.

― The Reverend, Saturday, 19 May 2007 08:55 (nineteen years ago)

Hey, it's better than Dire Straits, man. We have to count our blessings.

― Bimble, Saturday, 19 May 2007 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

I love the chorus to this song, unequivocally. I can't even remember what the rest of the tune sounds like.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Saturday, 19 May 2007 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

that kid inside album cover looks like a still from a 70s gay porno film. even the very name "john cougar" sounds gay porno-ish.

― Eisbaer, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Baaaaaaaaaby!

http://www.arthurp.com/images/va_art_portrait_1980.jpg

― Mark Rich@rdson, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

i'm not a mellencamp fan by any stretch, but i think it's kinda astounding that no one has mentioned the ace recorder solo. how many other songs in 1985 had one of those? how many have since? anyway, great song, certainly far less self-consciously "I AM IN A ROCK MUSIC BAND AND I FIND IT TO BE A NOVEL EXPERIENCE" than anything the white stripes ever mistakenly thought was worth releasing.

and the truly bizarre part? the b-side was a shockingly (and i mean shockingly) credible version of james brown's "cold sweat."

― Lawrence the Looter, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

I feel the same way when I hear the Eagles harmonize the word "THERE" as they begin "Seven Bridges Road". I've decapitated many a lamp trying to get to the radio's off button in time.

― Pleasant Plains, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

I was probably not sober upthread. While I may not want to hear "R.O.C.K" again, I never get bored of "Rumbleseat" and "Rain on the Scarecrow."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

"how many have since?"

didn't a monkey play a recorder solo in love & rocket's no new tale to tell? or was that just a flute? anyway, i dug the monkey and that song almost as much as i dig r.o.c.k. in the u.s.a.

― scott seward, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

i figured they were both a tip of the hat to "wild thing".

― scott seward, Saturday, 19 May 2007 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

this song rules you dorks

― pretzel walrus, Saturday, 19 May 2007 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

ain't that (middle) America

― gershy, Saturday, 19 May 2007 17:48 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

F.R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
http://www.club-wear.biz/images/dresses/104b.jpg

― bobby bedelia, Monday, 2 July 2007 05:23 (eighteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.