Jack and Diane...John Cougar, 1982.
Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.
How about that little ditty? I was thirteen when this song came out, so I did recognize that those crazy lovebirds were far more mature and wiser than I was. (They were holding onto sixteen if you recall.) I didn't necessarily understand all of what was going on in that relationship. Of course there was that hint at some sort of shenanigans, behind a shady tree, to keep a young teen interested and curious.
As we sang so loudly "Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone," did we have any idea what that meant? Did we really think singing our hearts out and a teenage romance was the best life was going to have to offer? (Then again, some of us didn't think there could be anything worse than a high school broken heart.)
Changes indeed would come around real soon to make us women and men. Jack and Diane were doing the best that they could, and as I might have only pretended to appreciate the bit of angst that the bible belt was to save them from, I was also wishing them the best of luck.
In the 80s, I was a young mother too busy to think about what songs actually said or meant. I must have hummed along and maybe sang the words I could actually understand, but by and large 80s music is a blur. I'm off to visit A-I to see what I missed. The line you highlighted is cool and disturbing.
ReplyDeleteRepaying your visit from AtoZ.
I will be singing this song all morning now. Thank you :(
ReplyDeleteThis is one song that never grew on me. I never liked it then, still don't. I don't know why though. And still change the radio station when it comes on. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a classic teen angst song! Great pick, Andrea. :)
ReplyDeleteI loved this song! You have me singing it already! LOL
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
Heehee, I still have this on 45" vinyl. Didn't have a clue what the song was about but loved it anyway. :)
ReplyDeleteHigh School heartbreak is the worst thing ever.
ReplyDeleteNever heard the song. Never heard John Cougar.
ReplyDeleteI am older than you are, as I think I mentioned once, twice or three times, but the 80's was my song era.
ReplyDeleteI was old enough to know what this song was about, but I had never heard the term "a have to" as in it was a "have to" marriage, until the eighties. I wonder if Jack and Diane had a "have to" marriage. I would have been just as naive as you, except I was in my thirties back then and had two of my five kids already! Whoa!
Good choice for today, I actually heard this song on the radio earlier this week. I still occasionally buy Bobbi Brooks clothes. See, timeless content in the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteLove that little ditty...hahaha!
ReplyDeleteThere's a story for that one, too.
You and me? We need to have a chat over some margaritas about all our lost loves and teenage angst.
LOVING this series. One of my favorites. Have you checked out Hilary's on cooking? It rocks.
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
I loved this song. My best friend who lived across the street an I would sing it over and over again for weeks. It still makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteGreat theme, you are taking me down memory lane.
Ahh, back in the days when he still had the Cougar. I loved this song too!
ReplyDeleteI learned everything I know about love from that song.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that he hated this song and he only put it on the album as a filler. He never expected it to do as well as it did. I'd tell you the source but I read that years ago and I don't even know if it's true or not.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I love the song.
Boy . . . I'm being pulled back in time . . .
ReplyDeleteyep, life goes on...
ReplyDeleteI liked that little ditty.....and it came out as I was turning 17, so I couldn't understand what was so freakin' great about 16! :/
ReplyDeleteThey totally divorced (or at least John Cougar divorced his then-wife who appeared in the video). I'm basing this on a very foggy memory and a lifetime of People Magazine reading, so no guarantees on 100% accuracy. I used to love John until he was 2 hours late for a concert in Milwaukee. I don't take that sh*t from anyone! Well, maybe Steve Perry....
ReplyDeleteLove love love love!
ReplyDeleteGreat song.
Heather
I once wrote a college essay about this song and how poignant the lyrics. Such a great song! Every time I pass a Tastee Freeze (which doesn't happen so much anymore, I think the last one anywhere near here closed a few years back), the song pops in my head. I have to confess, though, it wasn't untilI was much older that I realized the lyric was "Changes come around real soon, make us women and men"; I thought it was "make us swimmin' in men", which made no sense to me. LOL
ReplyDelete~Lynn
I heard that John Cougar Mellencamp was a title invented by his British booking agent to make him sound interesting. Apparently, he hates it. Cracking tune though.
ReplyDelete