Jack and Diane

Despite John ‘Cougar’ Mellencamp’s many hits, “Jack And Diane” remains his sole chart-topper, having hit #1 in the US in the fall of 1982. It was ranked the #7 song of 1982 by Billboard. The song also reached #3 in Canada and #5 in Australia. According to Mellencamp, “Jack & Diane” was originally based on the 1966 Tennessee Williams film Sweet Bird of Youth. But when record executives balked at a song about interracial love, Mellencamp instead made the song about two typical midwest teenagers coming of age. Originally, his record label was not supportive of releasing the song as a single, so Mellencamp asked the company that was already making music videos for two of his other singles to secretly make a music video for “Jack And Diane” too. When audiences at his shows began singing along to “Jack And Diane” more than the album’s first single, the record company relented and released it ahead of the previously-planned “Hand To Hold Onto”. In 2008, Mellencamp said: I owe Mick Ronson the hit song ‘Jack & Diane’. Mick was very instrumental in helping me arrange that song, as I’d thrown it on the junk heap … All of a sudden, for ‘Jack & Diane,’ Mick said, ‘Johnny, you should put baby rattles on there.’ I thought, ‘What the f— does put baby rattles on the record mean'? So he put the percussion on there and then he sang the part, ‘Let it rock, let it roll’ as a choir‑ish‑type thing, which had never occurred to me. And that is the part everybody remembers on the song. It was Ronson’s idea.

Jack and Diane Lyrics John Cougar From The Album American Fool (1982) [Verse 1] Little ditty about Jack and Diane Two American kids growin' up in the heartland Jack, he's gonna be a football star Diane's debutante backseat of Jacky's car [Verse 2] Suckin' on a chili dog outside the Tastee Freez Diane's sittin' on Jacky's lap, he's got his hand between her knees Jacky say, "Hey Diane, lets run off behind a shady tree Dribble off those Bobby Brooks slacks, now do what I please" Say a.... [Chorus] Oh yeah, life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone I say, oh yeah say life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone Now walk on [Verse 3] Jacky sits back, collects his thoughts for the moment Scratches his head and does his best James Dean "Well then, there Diane, we ought to run off to the city" Diane says, "Baby, you ain't missin' nothing" But Jacky say a... [Chorus] Oh yeah, life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone Oh yeah I say life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone [Bridge] Gonna let it rock, let it roll Let the Bible Belt come and save my soul Holdin on to sixteen as long as you can Changes come around real soon Make us women and men [Chorus] Oh yeah, life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone Oh yeah they say life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone [Outro] A little ditty about Jack and Diane Two American kids doing the best they can Written By John Mellencamp Release Date July 1982