John Cougar's America

Alright when you are in your early teens things start to change. You start to experience things you haven't experienced before. Most the time everything gets blown out of proportion because everything is new and you are starting to find out who you are and who you are going to be. Lots of new emotions and situations to deal with.

Well in 1982 I was 12. Most kids don't have a lot of responsibility at 12 but I wasn't one of them. That is for another post someday though.

There is one thing about 1982 though that makes it memorable for me. American Fool came out in 1982 and with it the single Jack and Diane. The slice of small town America song about teen kids falling in love or lust. Their first real love.

That is the age when you wonder why people (read adults) didn't think of things before and why they don't do what you believe is easier or a better way. You are a teen after all and know way more than anyone else. That is another nasty side effect of all of those new emotions. Omnipotence.

So in 1982 John Cougar, as he was known back then (he has multiple name changes in the ensuing years of his career) releases an album of anthems for the young. He strikes a collective nerve in America and they take notice and he has a long career with probably the biggest release being 1985's Scarecrow, he was John Cougar Mellencamp at the time.

With the imagery in the video of eating outside by a Tasty Freeze, chili dogs, motorcycles, driving by a lake, and essentially everything you really want as a coming of age in America late teen. It all represents freedom. You have your dreams and there is nothing to stand in your way, just go get them. How hard could it be? Seriously, what could go wrong?

Oh yeah, the other part of the song, Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone. That really comes into play in John Cougar's next release Uh-huh with Pink Houses and the line about the guy discovering at a young age he is at his destination which isn't much after aspiring to be President. What a let down that must be.

Does life go on after the thrill of living is gone? Ask me a few years ago and I'd have said yes. Now I'm positive the thrill is what you make it out to be. It depends on if you have found out what you are living for or not. If you know what you want to do, if you have discovered your passion then emphatically NO, life goes on but you look forward to each day with a new sense of excitement!

If you have no clue as to what you want to do and have given no thought to it, yes, you are doomed to a life on a treadmill. So from Jack and Diane to Pink Houses these are songs for those people in America who don't really have an idea of what they want. For those people who don't have a passion for anything or haven't discovered it yet.

I happened to have figured it out a few years ago. Since then every single day is an opportunity to create, it is just a matter of if I create something or not. If you find your passion it really doesn't matter if you can or can't make a living at it. You are doing what you love to do. What you want to do every day, day after day. It can change too! There aren't any limits, it can evolve.

It is vitally important to find your passion. Once you narrow that down you find ambition and motivation. Things start to go better for you. You have a destination and all kind of other 'tions to go with it!

Ask yourself, are you on the treadmill or are you living your passion? Have you found it yet? When are you going to start looking?

There is a P.S. to this post and that would be how many people actually quote James Dean? Out of all the Hollywood stars to quote and imitate he probably has the least amount of imitators out there.