Video hit John Mellencamp

John Mellencamp - Jack & Diane

Jack & Diane is a 1982 hit song written and performed by American singer-songwriter, John Mellencamp, then performing as "John Cougar." It appears on Mellencamp's album American Fool. It was chosen by RIAA as one of the Songs of the Century. The single spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982, and, to date, is the biggest hit single ever for Mellencamp.

According to Mellencamp, "Jack & Diane" was written about a relationship he had with a girl that lived near his hometown of Seymour, Indiana named Diane. He said: "'Jack & Diane' was a terrible record to make. When I play it on guitar by myself, it sounds great; but I could never get the band to play along with me. That's why the arrangement's so weird. Stopping and starting, it's not very musical." Mellencamp has also stated that the clapping wasn't supposed to be included in the finished song. It was recorded with the clapping in order to help keep tempo and then it was to be removed. However, he realized the song did not work without it.

The song was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, was produced by Mellencamp and Don Gehman (with Gehman also engineering), and backing Mellencamp were guitarists/backing vocalists Mick Ronson, Mike Wanchic, Larry Crane, drummer Kenny Aronoff, bassist/backing vocalist Robert Frank, and keyboardist Eric Rosser.

In 1982, producer and guitarist Mick Ronson worked with Mellencamp on his American Fool album, and in particular on "Jack & Diane."
In a 2008 interview with Classic Rock magazine, Mellencamp recalled:

"Mick was very instrumental in helping me arrange that song, as I'd thrown it on the junk heap. Ronson came down and played on three or four tracks and worked on the American Fool record for four or five weeks. All of a sudden, for 'Jack & Diane,' Mick said 'Johnny, you should put baby rattles on there.' I thought, 'What the fuck 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."

The lyrics:

Little ditty about Jack and Diane

2 American kids growin' up in the heartland

Jacky's gonna be a football star

Diane debutante backseat of Jacky's car

Suckin' on a chili dog outside the tastee freeze

Diane's sittin' on Jacky's lap, he's got his hands between her knees

Jacky say, "Hey Diane lets run off behind a shady tree

Dribble off those Bobby brooks, let me do what I please"

And say a

"Oh yeah life goes on

Long after the thrill of livin' is gone"

Say a, "Oh yeah life goes on

Long after the thrill of livin' is gone, now rock on"

Jacky sits back reflects his thoughts for the moment

Scratches his head and does his best James Dean

Well you know Diane, we oughtta run of the city

Diane says "Baby, you ain't missin' nothin'"

Jacky say a

"Oh yeah life goes on

Long after the thrill of livin' is gone

Oh yeah say life goes on

Long after the thrill of livin' is gone"

Gonna let it roll 'n' rock

Let it roll

Let the Bible belt come down

And save my soul

Hold on to 16 as long as you can

Changes come around real soon

Make us women and men

Oh yeah life goes on

Long after the thrill of livin' is gone

Oh yeah say life goes on

Long after the thrill of livin' is gone

A little ditty about Jack and Diane

Two American kids doin' the best they can