John Mellencamp's New Song About a Small Town

You might be sick of hearing me urging John Mellencamp to run for governor of Indiana. But the schlemiel in there now just gets worse and worse... and John keeps getting better and better. John has been in the studio working on a new album, still untitled, with T Bone Burnett and it's due out soon... maybe in January (once he makes a new record deal with some company).

Lately he's been busy performing for wounded Iraq war vets -- like all Democrats and progressives, he hates them -- and last month he performed his all-American classic, "Small Town," at the opening game of the NFL Season (between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints), 3 nights before the annual Farm Aid benefit he does with Willie Nelson. Many of his most inspired songs are patriotic in the finest sense of the word, celebrating the inclusiveness and unity that brings people together, like his Woody Guthrie-like "This Is Our Country".

In August he recorded the song "Jena," as soon as he heard what was going on in that small town. He wanted to get it out even before the album was released. Here it is (click to watch the video): "Jena," a powerful and healing song of redemption.

An all white jury hides the executioner's face
Is this how we are, me and you?
Everyone needs to know their place
And here we thought this blackbird was hidden in the flue

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Take your nooses down

So what becomes of boys that cannot think straight
Particularly those with paper bag skin
Yes sir no sir wipe that smile off your face
We've got our rules here and you've got to fit in

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Take your nooses down

Hey some way sanity will prevail
But no one knows when that day will come
A shot in the dark, well it might find its way
To the hearts of those who hold the keys to kingdom come

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Take your nooses down

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Take your nooses down

Cross-posted at DownWithTyranny. The video will be up on YouTube... soon.

Comments

[robotfog]

Mellencamp isn't all that great. Some of his songs are well crafted but there is something lacking, for me anyway.

The lyrics that were posted in this blog are not even good. I heard the new "This Is Our Country" song and it's got no meat. It's just a bleached version of songs that have come before.

I'm getting tired of other people's low standards in music.

Mellencamp is still way better than the rappers and hip hoppers, though, and at least doesn't sing like bruce springstein.

Wait! what was this post about?

[norinrad10]

Thank you. I've been a Mellencamp fan since I saw the Zone open for Kiss in 1977 and the lyrics posted are crap. Not only are they shallow but overtly pandering. Sorry John it appears as if your dying to be relevant. Please, you are capable of much more.

[Qbear]

THANKS from LOUISIANA John!

[JohnJames]

Mellencamp is a chameleon. He first used his small town schtick to win celebrity at the time of the 80's backlash against the 60's. He was quite the Hoosier conservative back then.

[POSTHRUDAHART]

OK, where are the 'Society of Victims' parrots. Why as usual they are sitting in a large room, each in his self made spacious cage, with the large door wide open, repeating the Societies mantra,
'Pome blames a cracker', Pome blames a cracker'

[kellygrrrl]

while I truly admire Mellencamp's songwriting genius and his ability to insert social and political commentary into pop culture, I must disagree with you in your suggestion that he run for governor.
After watching him on Bill Maher, I was definitely not impressed with the extent of his understanding on many issues.

[drumz]

Agreed!

[mcthfg]

Is that the same John Mellencamp who sells his songs to Ford in order to help them sell more gas-guzzling trucks and promote more oil-based wars?

Yeah, I LOVE that guy... he's a WINNER!

[ChristianEcon.com]

Good point--it used to be anathema for an artist to sell their music as jingles; now it's commonplace, even for greats like Townshend. I think that indicates a sad and unfortunate shift to the right over the years, in terms of economic values.

[drumz]

It's actually Chevies

[DownWithTyranny]

Good point, Drewser. But a couple days ago I went to a rally for NY Congressman John Hall and you couldn't keep him away from the guitar! Jackson Browne played and Congressman Hall backed him up on at least half a dozen songs.

[drewser]

But if Mellencamp was governor, then he wouldn't have time to write and perform songs that prick the nation's conscious. Anybody can be governor (obviously), but not everyone can be a Mellencamp or a Springsteen.

A fellow Hoosier's opinion.