Lyrics for singles by John Mellencamp

I Need a Lover

I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl that knows the meaning of uh
Hey, hit the highway

Well, I've been walking the streets up and down
Racing through the human jungle at night
I'm so confused my mind is indifferent
Hey, I'm so weak won't somebody shut off that light
Electricity runs through the video
As I watch from this hole I call home
All the stonies are dancin' to the radio
And I got the world calling me up here tonight on the phone

I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl to thrill me and then go away
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl that knows the meaning of uh
Hey, hit the highway

Well I'm not wiped out by this poolroom life I'm living
I'm gonna quit this job, go to school, or head back home
Well, I'm not asking to be loved or be forgiven
Hey, I just can't face shakin in this bedroom one more night alone

Hurts So Good

When I was a young boy
Said put away those young boy ways
Now that Im gettin older so much older
I long all those young boy days
With a girl like you
With a girl like you
Lord knows there are things we can do, baby
Just me and you
Come on and make it a

Hurt so good
Come on baby make it hurt so good
Sometimes love dont feel like it should
You make it hurt so good

You dont have to be so excitin Just tryin to give myself a little bit of fun
yeah
You always look so invitin You ain't as green as you are young
Hey baby its you
Come on girl now its you
Sink your teeth right through my bones, baby
Lets see what we can do
Come on and make it a

[chorus]

I ain't talkin no big deals
I ain't made no plans myself
I ain't talkin no high heels
Maybe we could walkin around, all day long
walkin around, all day long

Pink Houses

There's a black man with a black cat
Living in a black neighbourhood
He's got an interstate runnin' through his front yard
You know, he think, that he's got it so good
And there's a woman in the kitchen cleanin' up the evening slop
And he looks at her and says: "Hey darling, I can remember when you could stop a clock"

Oh but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America we're someting to see baby
Ain't that America, home of the free
Little pink houses for you and me

Well there's a young man in a t-shirt
Listening to a rockin' rollin' station
He's got a greasy hair, greasy smile
He says: "Lord, this must be my destination"
'Cuz they told me, when I was younger
"Boy, you're gonna be president"
But just like everyting else, those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went

[chorus]

Well there's people and more people
What do they know know know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
Ohhh Yeah
And there's winners, and there's losers
But they ain't no big deal
'Cuz the simple man baby pays for the thrills
The bills and the pills that kill

Authority Song

They like to get you in a compromising position
They like to get you there and smille in your face
They think, they're so cute when they got you in that condition
Well I think, it's a total disgrace

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

So I call up my preacher
I say: "Gimme strength for Round 5"
He said: "You don't need no strength, you need to grow up, son"
I said: "Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying
and dying to me don't sound like all that much fun"

[chorus]

Small Town

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

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

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

But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an L.A. doll and brought her to this small town
Now she's small town just like me

No I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be

Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me

Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
And that's prob'ly where they'll bury me

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

They come from the cities
And they come from the smaller towns
Beat up cars with guitars and drummers
Goin crack boom bam

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 nowhere
And voices from the larger towns
Filled our head full of dreams
Turned the world upside down

There 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 Brown
Rockin' in the U.S.A.
Rockin' in the U.S.A.
Hey!

Rain on the Scarecrow

Scarecrow on a wooden cross, blackbird in the barn
Four hundred empty acres that used to be my farm
I grew up like my daddy did, my grandpa cleared this land
When I was five I walked the fence while Grandpa held my hand

Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow
This land fed a nation, this land made me proud
And Son I'm just sorry there's no legacy for you now
Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow

The crops we grew last summer weren't enough to pay the loan
Couldn't buy the seed to plant this spring and the Farmers Bank foreclosed
Called my old friend Schepman up to auction off the land
He said "John it's just my job and I hope you understand"
Hey calling it your job ol' hoss sure don't make it right
But if you want me to I'll say a prayer for your soul tonight
And Grandma's on the front porch swing with a Bible in her hand
Sometimes I hear her singing "Take me to the Promised Land"
When you take away a man's dignity, he can't work his fields and cows

There'll be blood on the scarecrow, blood on the plow
Blood on the scarecrow, blood on the plow

Well there's ninety-seven crosses planted in the courthouse yard
Ninety-seven families who lost ninety-seven farms
I think about my grandpa and my neighbors and my name
And some nights I feel like dyin' like that scarecrow in the rain

Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow
This land fed a nation, this land made me proud
Son I'm just sorry there's just memories for you now

Rumbleseat

All the leaves are green
All my friends are gone
I'm livin' in my hometown
I can barely get along
I feel sorry for myself
That's an easy thing to do
I feel sorry for the world
I feel sorry for you
Yes I am a pitiful sight
I can't even get one thing right

I know just what it's like
To be ridin' in the rumbleseat
Yes I know just what it's like
To be a big time rider in the rumbleseat

Well I could have a nervous breakdown
But I don't believe in shrinks
I should be drunker than a monkey
But I don't like to drink
Call up some girls
But I'm afraid of the phone
I'm always talkin' to myself
I guess I'm never alone
Am I the only one that feels this way
I'd buy myself some stylish clothes
But I sure hate to pay

[chorus]

The sun is coming up
Just goin' to bed
I combed my hair with my pillow
Still got some dreams left
Tomorrow is a new day
Gonna make these dreams come true
I'm gonna believe in myself
I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna stop puttin' myself down
I'm gonna turn my life around

I'll be ridin' high
With my feet kicked up in the rumbleseat
Yeah we'll go for a drive
And we'll be singin' shotgun from that rumbleseat
Yes I'll blow you a kiss
And we'll be ridin' big time in my rumbleseat

Paper in Fire

She had a dream
And boy it was a good one
So she chased after her dream
With much desire
But when she get too close
To her expectations
Well the dream burned up
Like paper in fire

Paper in fire
Stinkin up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smokin up the alleyways
Who's to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire

He wanted love
With no involvement
So he chased the wind
That's all his silly life required
And the days of vanity
Went on forever
And he saw his days burn up
Like paper in fire

[chorus]

There's a good life
right across the green fields
And each generation
Stares at it from afar
But we keep no check
On our appetites
So the green fields turn to brown
Like paper in fire

[chorus]

Cherry Bomb

Well I lived on the outskirts of town
In an eight room farmhouse, baby
When my brothers and friends were around
There was always somethin doin
Had me a couple of real nice girlfriends
Stopped by to see me every once in a while
When I think back about those days
All I can do is sit and smile

That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
And dancin' meant everything
We were young and we were improvin'
Laughing' laughing' with our friends
Holding hands meant somethin baby
Outside the club "Cherry Bomb"
Where our hearts were really thumpin
Say yeah yeah yeah
Say yeah yeah yeah

The winter days they last forever
And the weekends went by so quick
We ridin around this little country town
We were goin nuts, girl, out in the stick
One night me with my big mouth
A couple guys had to put me in my place
When I see those guys these days
We just laugh and say
Remember when

[chorus]

Seventeen has turned thirty-five
Im surprised that were still livin If weve done any wrong
I hope that were forgiven
Got a few kids on my own
And some days I still dont know
What to do
I hope that theyre not laughtin too
Loud, when they hear me talkin like this to you

[chorus]

Check It Out

A million young poets
Screamin' out their words
To a world full of people
Just livin to be heard
Future generations
Ridin' on the highways that we built
I hope they have a better understanding

Check it out --- goin' to work on Monday
Check it out --- got yourself a family
Check it out --- all utility bills have been paid
You can't tell your best buddy that you love him

So
Check it out --- where does our time go
Check it out --- got a brand new house in escrow
Check it out --- sleepin' with your back to your loved one
This is all we've learned about happiness

Check it out --- forgot to say hello to my neighbours
Check it out --- sometimes I question my own behavior
Check it out --- talkin' about the girls we've seen on the sly
Just to tell ourselves we're still the young lions

So
Check it out --- gettin too drunk on Saturdays
Check it out --- playin' football with the kids on Sundays
Check it out --- soaring with the eagles all week long
And this is all that we've learned about living
This is all that we've learned about living

Check it out!
Check it out!

A million young poets
Screamin' out their words
Maybe someday those words will be heard
By future generations
Ridin' on the highways that we built
Maybe they'll have a better understanding (check it out)
Maybe they'll have a better understanding (check it out)
Maybe they'll have a better understanding (check it out)
Hope that they have a better understanding (check it out)

Check it out!
Check it out!
Check it out!