The full version is one of the greatest "Rock and Roll" intro's ever, great song that never dates, most bands today absolutely struggle to find a driving riff like this
That movie was called "Falling From Grace". Mellencamp starred in the movie, but the movie was fiction. It wasn't about his life or anything. The closest you'll get to a biography movie on his life is probably two other DVDs he released, "Trouble No More" and "It's About You". They're movies about his music and I liked them a lot. Mellencamp was also in another fiction movie called "After Image". It's a bit of a horror movie. It wasn't rated very well, but I liked it. John Mellencamp also stars a main role in that movie.
If you are in your car, on the highway, by yourself, on a road trip, I guarantee you will scream along with this song. You might even well up with emotion if you have had your heart broken by someone that drove you crazy. Ok , maybe you need to be you need to 21 and it's 1985, What a great song !!! Master piece . You bettca '
Definitely my favorite song from John Cougar. Such intensity and awesome lyrics. "I need a lover that won't drive me crazy." The national anthem of everyone me thinks :)
Claire Gutridge Sorry but the radio station I heard it on very often btw was in 1979. I know that John had another song before this one but I never heard it. I was very surprised also when I heard the long version for the first time. Different songs and versions were released thru the country at various times. If you got to enjoy this in 1978 then you were lucky.
I got to see JC perform this live in 1979 opening for KISS - I was 10, it was my first concert, and despite being KISS obsessed, the only thing I can still recall vividly is the opening act doing this song.
Great band... they could pull off really good vocal harmonies and the lead guitar had great tone and licks... These were the days when bands needed talent to get on the radio, so unlike today.
Soooo many great memories listening to John Cougar (before he became John Cougar Mellencamp) in the car turned up as far as my cassette player could go!! I have to admit, I need a lover that won't drive me crazy has been thought of on more than one occasion!!
I've heard this twice this week on Sirius and remember how much I love this song. My favorite Mellencamp, for sure - and I absolutely LOVE the extended intro.
I swear, the absolute best comments on all of RU-vid are those on 80s videos. Funny, clever, moving, tearful, nostalgic, and just feet on the ground smart. You guys are the best Keep it up!
Dude - thanks SO much for putting this up! Some other guy had this classic footage but it disappeared a while back. Free time travel back to the late 70s for me! Awesome snap! crack! boom! from one of the best ever.....
One of my favourite songs of all times such intensity , maybe its just myself but this song comes into my mind every few weeks , but dont tell my ol girl , can i say that these days bugger it i just did taker me to court i will speak my mind when it comes to love and great music .
Saw him in Hampton Va in 86 I believe. Great 3 hour show and a local radio station replayed the concert as we drove with the volume way up. Great night!!!!
Wonder what all them "cool guys" back in the days when John was still installing phone lines are thinking nowdays? You know the jerks that told John that he didnt know how to sing & he would never make it in the big time. You showed them, John. Thanks for all the very excellent and entertaining music.
This was John Mellencamp's 1st Top 40 Hit on the Pop Chart here in America and this also got him to become a big name on the Pop Chart in the 80's and 90's and also, 1979 gave us Prince's 1st #1 Soul Hit as well God Bless Mellencamp and BTW, I remember hearing this song back when I was in High School on VH1's Best of Dick Clark's American Bandstand Plus, this song was out when shows like One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, SOAP, Benson, Charlie's Angels, Hart to Hart, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Vega$, The Waltons, Alice, The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, Knots Landing, M*A*S*H, Trapper John, M.D., Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, Angie, Three's Company, Password Plus, The Joker's Wild, The NEW Tic Tac Dough and The Original Hawaii Five-O were still on the air Plus, the late Richard Dawson was still KING of the Family Feud, Peter Marshall was still the Master of the Hollywood Squares, Alex Trebek was still KING of the High Rollers, the late Jim Perry was still the Master Mechanic of Card Sharks, Chuck Woolery & Dr. Susan Stafford were still spinning the Wheel of Fortune, the Pittsburgh Pirates RULED the MLB, Terry Bradshaw & the Pittsburgh Steelers once again RULED the NFL and the NBA saw the beginning of a rivalry between Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers and Dr. J and the Philadelphia 76ers
You are so lucky to LIVED this! I am jealous. And thankyou for filming it so as to include the other musicians. I hate it when videos treat the singer like the only person that exists on stage.
I remember I put this on at my buddies bachelor party. We were smashing furniture and breaking bottles before the song was over. Police showed up soon after. Then spent an hour looking for the groom. Perrrrrfect.
I produced this video for Johnny Cougar in 1978. It was shot at the Marquee Club in London for his album "A Biography" - never released in the US. But they added this track to his next US release. We alsi did the video for "Factory" at the same time,
