![]() ![]() He talked to my aunt a little, and had asked her where she was from. ![]() She had told me that Mellencamp would come and talk to a lot of his fans after shows to get to know them a little more and market himself because he wasn't so popular at the time. My aunt went to IU at that time, and she happen to be a regular for his shows. Allison from Wabash, InMellencamp as I'm sure a lot of you guys know, started out doing a lot of shows in Bloomington.Johnny is a very sad Meowing Cat! -Ain't that America for you and me! To paraphrase Mellencamp's angry writing voice, the dream vanishes as quickly as it came. From Reagan to Obama, the backbone of America is broken! We wage our own wars of terror because the kids of America are undercut by racism, despair and hopelessness-a feeling of absolute everyday reality and it's sad and heartbreaking. Leo from Westminster 1, MdPink Houses is anything but an affirmation of so-called "Traditional American values! Only John Mellencamp has the bravery and balls to look America right between the red, white and blue eyes because the American dream is a nightmare and a myth.I think it's his best song by far and that's sayin' something about his catalog of hits. Mellencamp draws you in early and never lets you go on this song. You know he thinks that he's got it so good." Markantney from Biloxi, MsIf there's a BETTER opening verse than,.I love that song and I always loved Jack and Diane. Cathy from Tennessee Pink Houses always reminded me of the houses lined up in the hills of San Francisco.Any thoughts on the meaning of the lyric would be appreciated. They share Midwest origins, and both are painters. Dylan says Mellencamp is a good songwriter. It doesn't disappoint me, but it puzzles me. John from 72712"Cause the simple man baby pays the thrills, The bills and the pills that kill"- Can anyone suggest a meaning for this lyric? A simple explanation might be: "Cause the simple man baby pays (for) the thrills, The bills and the pills that kill" I found a quote that Mellencamp was disappointed with the last verse of Pink Houses which I think is this verse.My interpretation of the song in general is that there are two different versions of America, one for the wealthy, and one for everyone else, and that the lyrics of the last verse were just another example of that. Meaning (to me) that wealthy people can go on vacations to wherever they want without a care in the world (and no thought for those who don't have the means), but working class people can't do that, their "thrills" cost them big-time - either in the form of bills for vacations and other things they can't afford (loans, credit card debt, etc.), or by turning to drugs as an escape from the endless cycle and struggle of living paycheck to paycheck. BUT (on the other hand) "the simple man pays for thrills - with bills, and pills that kill". My interpretation of those particular lyrics is that they refer back to the line "Well there's people, and more people, what do they know.Go to work in some high rise, and vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico". Checotah James from NcThis comment is for "John from 72712".Today's(21st c.) music is little pink pop songs. A big row of houses(subdivision) all identical. George from Vancouver, Canadahmmph, I'd heard, in the '80s that this song is referencing the cookie cutter houses that stood or he lack of imagination in modern American architecture/etc.There is a little bit of Jackie Brown in all of us. Well done John! Your songs have always been my favorites. I loved the spirit and talent of the kid way back then, and have loved his music and career that followed. He sometimes was bare-footed and did not have a pen, pencil, or notebook, but always had a guitar on his shoulder and a big smile on his face! He would often sit around for hours playing and singing for/with his classmates after class. ColoradoJohn was a student in one of my Geography classes at Vincennes University in the early 1970's. ![]()
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