John Mellencamp - Pink Houses (Official Music Video) 

💝💝

From Italy

Mellencamp talks about how he saw a Black man sitting on that porch and how the highway running through it was the inspiration for the song. He had a black cat on his lap and he waved back at Mellencamp and that was how he ended up writing that song. I wonder, was the gentleman in the video the same man? But in any event, that highway cut through the Black part of town just like so many of our highways did, and a lot of people don't understand what that means. It means that we didn't care about disrupting the Black neighborhoods. It meant that some of us were even happy to do it. We need to reckon with this. This music is "heartland music" and that includes our Black heartland residents. I can't help noticing how many of the commenters identify themselves as Black, which is likely because the average white listener of this music is probably clueless as to who is a resident of the heartland. Then they tell us they like this song too, or they love this artist too. I hope everyone who reads that thinks about it. "Flyover Country" and "Real America" isn't just the white people like me.

It’s sad how many of the people from the older generations from that area can’t read or write

Wat a cool reminiscent memory to have especially with this song nice bro 👍may ur grandma rest in peace.

Well said.

Greetings in 2024 ,Monterrey N.L,México 🤟

❤

I am from Buffalo too. Hello

Rochester,NY in the house lol

do you think that White should be capitalized same as Black when we're talking about races which we shouldn't be talking about at all anyway just being better respect and loving each other as ourselves

@@jukeboxxx. If we're gonna love each other, I think we'll have to drop focusing on Capitalization.....doncha think?

This is an old song. Which many wont get. The OP was just saying. What happens today is not what The OP was saying.

@@jonathanbaker9153 exactly. We used to all be Americans. I'm 43. I remember this song when it was released and it was a different country with a different attitude. This song is about us as we should be

It's great to be an American.

We love you too! 🇺🇸💛

Right back at you buddy I live in Portland Oregon and it's folks like you that make the world a good place and John will keep us all going

Thank you.. Great to hear something positive

💖 God Bless yous 🙏 Our Neighbors 😊

You folks up in Canada might be the only ones left to hold democracy together the way things are going down here! Much respect to Canada!

looks like he made a difference in your life. he made one in mine!

@@jefferybragg3148 He sure did

Great minds think alike 😉 😌

I'm a 61 y.o. white woman...I was in my early 20's living in outer city limits of Houston TX. My 2 kids were 2 and 5

Thanks I'm worried about playing thanks I was worried about playing this due to this new society even though I played it from last umteen years

Hello How're you doing today, Comment like this are priceless, Thank You It's a pleasure meeting you here ❤

I can dig it!

Ye right. OK sure we believe you. And I'm a yellow submarine

Music is universal ❤ it knows no colors. Much love to you ❤

1749 clear skies and smooth sailing

And he made a lot of money off this song.

wat is the majority religion are these uber-greedy corporate 1% who own half the wealth with satanicworship & now🎼🎵Free Fallin'🎶-TomPettyRIP 🎵🎼 ❤🏝️💋

I agree as someone who grew up poor and now has the kind of life I always dreamed of through hard work and sacrifice. Or as my beautiful wife and I say, she is assailant manager of a fast food joint and I am a simple truck driver so we aren't wealthy by any means 6 kids and no government assistance. Capitalism...

You have to own capital to be a capitalist

Facts

You are so right brother 👍🏽

"It's really an anti-American song," Mellencamp told Rolling Stone about "Pink Houses." "The American dream had pretty much proven itself as not working anymore. It was another way for me to sneak something in."

Best of us

I grew up in the small town this video was shot in.

Was working with his blood family in Nashville with Justice industries. His name was Christian and myself admire all your songs 🎵 ❤ in which they inspire me too write poetry and song lyrics. Thank you for being who you are God bless you and all mankind your family friend and brother in time Terry.

Ppl don’t get it!

It's actually more interesting than that. People do hear the lyrics, they just don't interpret them in the condescending way they were intended to

Rockin in the Free World is another.

@@nryle yeah, that's pretty much what I said

OR we’ve lived long enough to hear the lyrics, know exactly what they mean, but choose to enjoy the music for what it is!

You remember all! That's a good part!

many blessing upon you

😅

The best time I can go to the solution for this is to get a hold of the feeling lost by technology to much information technology simple but cannot keep up

I was born in 1952. We grew up poor and rich. Poor moneywise, rich every other way. Pure fun.

100% agreed... John Mellencamp _IS_ Classic American Rock. Tom Petty, Felix Cavaliere, Bob Grill, Woodie Gutherie, Tom Johnston, John Fogerty, Paul Simon, Jim Croche & Billy Joel (in no particular order) are a small handful that defined classic guitar rock & have made the everlasting impression on all of us. Esp those of who, thanks to them, grew up wanting to be guitarists & eventually became them. Their music is the gift that keeps right on giving, everyday. And no doubt strongly influenced us to be better people 💜❤ Ok ok, Billy Joel is a pianist, not a guitarist. But so what :) Tom Johnston/ the Doobie Bros., Take Me In Your Arms, 1973 m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MCJHHoYm5zE.html Jim Croche, I've Got A Name, 1973 m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cadvn16N188.html

There is no question that this works

@@magnificentmuttley154 "Guitar rock". Rock is guitar music by definition, so writing something like "guitar rock" is a pleonasm. Guys you mentioned are not the most important for the developement of rock music. Woody Guthrie, Paul Simon and Billy Joel have very, very little to do with rock. Classic rock music was defined by Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Mickey Baker, Johnny Burnette with Paul Burlison, Duane Eddy, The Ventures, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Sonics, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Ten Years After, The Allman Brothers.

@@piotrb8434 You have a much stricter view of what Rock 'n Roll is than I do. My opinion of what popular music qualifies to be called Rock isn't restricted to textbook definition. And my viewpoint isn't unique since Rock is a large umbrella that covers many flavors & styles outside of "guitar rock," pleonasm & all There are hundreds of thousands like me who experienced Pop & differing flavors of R&R firsthand, throughout the 60's, 70s, & 80s, with it's many alterations & changes. We were there! We understand that the range of "Rock" sub-catagories are not restricted only to popular music that uses electric guitar. Whether Jazz or Big Band styles that emphasize the use of brasswinds; Rock-fusion where an all-acoustic orchestra is simply accompanied by a handful of Rock instruments; & Soft Rock that uses a more sophisticated blend of rhythum & melody than these There are Rock songs that range from being dominated by use of electric guitar(s), through to merely using a single rhythum guitar, faintly in the background. And there are so-called "Rock" songs where the lead instrument is a piano & little if any guitar accompanies it (Elton John, Ferranté & Tiecher, Dr John, John Anderson, Todd Rundgren, 10CC, Pablo Cruise) but such music is still referred to as "Rock" of some flavor Again, at the risk of offending your formally-trained view in the matter, my opinion of what is called "Rock" & what goes by another name isn't based upon the rigid definitions of a professor who wrote a textbook on 20th Century Music. My opinion is based on 40+ years of listening to ths e broad spectrum of American radio; some of it mainstream, but much of it not So, I can see that we won't see eye-to-eye, & I won't waste your time arguing about it. Please allow me to bid you sincere thanks for contributing your thoughts today, nevertheless✌💜

Right on. I fought authority...

Thank you sir! My son just became a marine.

The Ron Paul Liberty Report.

Thank you for your service!

Love that thought! Hero

Bless you. If people think the USA is so bad, just think what would happen if Communist China was the most powerful country on earth. We have much to be thankful for.

Your dad had excellent taste. May he RIP.

De lo mejor dela decada los 80😊

Hang in there. I lost my mom and dad each at the age of sixty (2007 & 2011). I truly believe they're still here (and we're still there). Here's a simple tribute: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-82eDMbSG590.html

And may you always be just as loved.🥰💕😎

Using irrelevant reference is the pinnacle of a segregationist which is the biggest cause to continuing racial barriers. You're a girl, from a town.

@@crashmacduff7378 That boy...well... first of all...gotta explain where she's coming from....your Lost in your own racial word!

Good for you Nikki!! Music knows no color

you go girl. Good taste.

Just copy and paste this everywhere

@@joeschmo5988 Ok, I’ll get to work on that 😁

@@bleep77 seems you already have

Everything. Was all good!

Yup

Undoubtedly!!

For sure

I saw him singing 🎶

I'll be 60 soon but we worked hard, played hard now our bodies are letting us know. Great 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

It’s the same it’s you that has changed

Well said. Totally agree.

You clearly don't understand the meaning behind the song. John said in an interview that it is extremely anti-America, claiming the American dream is dead and the country is crumbling. "Ain't that America for you and me" is sarcastic.

Well said ❤

He's always been a huge ahole in reality though, so anyone who knows or met him probably has quite a few reasons for not loving this man. Also, his music is hugely overrated, he has like 2.5 decent songs and the rest are filler trash. Nostalgia is a hell of a drig though, helps with willfully ignoring the facts that don't agree with the rest of the story.

​@zwalters4135 Mellencamp is so bipolar between speaking with hyperbole and with basics. He's even stated that the song is a critique of the American Dream, and questioning if it's actually a singular and concrete thing. No 2 "Pink Houses" are the same, and no 2 peoplehave the same 'American Dream'.

No chance...he's the Only one. Cougar 👍🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺

Do you still get wet from this kind of music, lol

im a 64 years man and i agree totally but, alas, i dont see it happenin.

AMEN

I totally agree .... So soothing to the soul.

Hello 👋 how are you doing, I hope the virus is not affecting you?

His descriptions are amazing, but don't forget, the song is about how hard it is to live in America. The land of opportunity and inequity.

the america in this video is dead.

A lot of his songs (this one included) are critical of the USA and many of its policiesm

@chriskendall3979 This song has personal meaning for me cause I was born in a small town and grew up in a small town. If you truly want to see some of the places and people described in Pink Houses, they exist, but are not in the news or anything. If you can get here, there are many to look at and talk to.

@scott michaels yea, and sure u hear his music on classic rock stations, but he's never mentioned in same breath as others. He should be. Pure, no-bullshit good old American rock and roll.

Some really great songs.

You are so right as John is right up there with the best of his generation such as Springsteen and Seger!!

I heard some guy called him the ''discount Springsteen'' or smthin. lmao

Wow, this song never gets old. But if you love John like I do, you should hear David Young’s newest single “If I Can Live Thru This” ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TadCx0lCIfg.html It’s been awhile that I’ve been this excited about an artist!

I am sure you like me would rank the Uh huh album at the top of any all-time list,

Agree

Him and Springsteen; two American legends.

I'd be honored if some fans of early 80s classics would give a quick listen to my acoustic piano & vocal performances of JACK & DIANE by John Cougar Mellencamp and ALLENTOWN by Billy Joel on my YT channel in tribute to the great musical year of 1982. Live acoustic with no autotune or digital editing. Thanks and peace.

What has changed ?

@@debbiecraddock7204 The Country, and not for the better.

Late 80s still love it...this is music..not like todays

Everything . No simplicity any more

Yeah. This dude was the man

dvg1985 ... sorry to hear that. May God comfort your 💓

Aww, tha'ts sad ,but also happy. Peace , love and blessings to you ,friend. All are one.

It,s always awesome to Rember a great friend who is gone but not forever gotten peace to YOU FROM ME TO YOU

Rip may God comfort you in the time of hurt.

Cheers to your friend

Me too

❤❤❤❤

I'm not too far ahead of you I'm 48 as of October

I may be 35, but I grew up loving this kind of music

52 here & we were building mini bikes & sneaking smokes from our parents when this came out. Every time I hear this I can smell the gas & smoke. Fun times for a kid.

I'm 52, I've been rockin' to his music since the very first album

Well I'm 58 and this is my kynda music

You couldn't pull it off. The first verse would be "well there's an African American man, with an African American cat, living in an African American neighborhood."

couldn't have said it any better

I briefly read this as: We need this kind of music black fast!!

yes

Hell yeahs

It's not pink anymore

@Matthew Stuckwisch i lived in seymour 20yrs ago. Miss it

"We're gonna paint that mother PINK!" :) (was 16 when this song came out)

@@Land-Shark I remember him uttering that on MTV as well. ;)

I would have kept it pink.

I'd be honored if some early 80s fans would take a listen to my acoustic piano & vocal performances of JACK & DIANE by John Cougar Mellencamp and SOMEBODY'S BABY by Jackson Browne on my YT channel in tribute to the Great American Summer of 1982. Live acoustic with no digital editing. Thanks and keep on rocking.

To bad he didn't really listen to what he was singing.

Me neither

Nice self promotion

Just like everything... those old crazy dreams just kinda came and went

A quien no le va gustar si es buenisimo desde niña te admiro y ahora soy abuela y te sigo admirando mucho mas que antes .. Bueno...hoy en dia (2018) ya no hay buena musica que vivan los 80s

Kick'n It, Fun Hunh !

Ya mean when music channels actually plaid music??? What a concept!

Masterpiece???

He hates our Country....find you a better song

@@ampatriot The whole world hates your country since you voted for a psycho

I totally agree .... It's a classic song... That helps our country..... feel strong.

This virus will out live itself unlike the social media who will section anyone who doesn't agree to getting an award for being the very bestest at doing nothing just philosophising

This to shall pass, this song got me through hard times in the late 80’s, I was young and it seemed I’d never get where I was going....but I did...I met John, pumped his gas at a full service Shell station, he had did a show in Louisville and was on his way home to Indiana- I moved to Indiana myself years later-- I can tell you he is very down to earth and a hard working person- peace! We are in this together

I'm pretty sure that you're not really getting the song.

Bruce Donnellan hi. bruce whats up. what would you like to say. im watching pinguins and kings how about you .ice hockey ya know.how about you. a reply.

This song is really about the irony of rich and poor people in America. Yeah it's got a patriotic chorus, but the lyrics are dark in a few places "the pills that kill"... crazy dreams about being a poor kid wanting to be president... etc, etc. I love it as an American, but it's got a lot of depth.

@@JeepersCreepers2013 it can be patriotic in a way, because ive always believed that american patriotism lies with the common people not country or government or the powerful and rebelling against authority and standing up to injustice.

Ty

30 times means the time traveled across Rhode Island from east to west

Sure, most of three new generations that have come into existence since dont remember John Mellencamp. But during the 80's- - are you kidding?! He was all over Rock Radio, mix stations, & MTV. And I remember he was still played regularly on Classic Rock & all-80's stations well into the 90's... So no worries, man! Thats hundreds of millions of people across three living generations at the time who listened to J.M., many of which- - like you & me- - who STILL listen to him often 💜❤

How old are you ? 🤣

Great song and yes love me some JCM when driving around the Hoosier state! Great American rock n roll perfect for anywhere really

Someonejustsaid-Itwaslikepurging,sooomuchtalent,work,message-...

John Mellencamp was born and raised in Seymour, Indiana. Where he still lives now. My cousin's went to school with him. They were all damn good friends.

@@charityneanover113 , That's cool . I was born in Seymour as well.

+Mark Batarina I'll go ya one better; Early one late spring morning, sun rising over the horizon, Watching the country wake up, knowing that with this song and mindset in your head all day, it's gonna be a great day.

Now that's a true AMERICAN to bad where I live its all work and trading which is also like America too

+Mark Batarina I GOT YA BEAT.........PLAYING THIS SONG JUST WHEN IM FIRING UP Y CRACK PIPE AFTER ROBBING A LIQUOR STORE AND HAVING SEX WITH MY GRANDMA

+Mark Batarina and a right after Pink Houses a little Freebird. A perfect day.

Mark Batarina god bless america

Eleanor Rigby and all these ppl are commenting about trump on this song, if they knew what Mellencamp stood for they would stop lol

Hello Thanks for your comment and supports, your comments and constant support has brought me this far. Keep Supporting ❤️ Please send me a mail via. johnmellencamp03@gmail.com

Army Angler Amen :)

If only everyone was honest would be a great start 😁

Army Angler hahaha and sing along with your great president

fools

FUCK YES/

True.

Keep the faith. We got this.

Hope about the broken American dream, and how the middle class can and will never be able to climb past the middle class, because the rich simply won't allow it?

It's funny how people think this song is about hope and patriotism. He is basically mocking the life we live. He is talking about the racial divide, and how the middle class are just slaves in our society, breaking their backs to pay the bills for our corrupt government and their stupid decisions..

@@jgringo5516 great, now try to talk to the remaining 99% of the population, or perhaps the 20% that live in poverty

@@colddekstar screw you, people are just trying to enjoy the song. You don’t need to know the full meaning of the song to enjoy it. The dying American dream is one of the cons. But there is still many pros to our beautiful country 😎🇺🇸

He won’t. We’re not done, yet! 💛🙏🏻

"stop a PLOW"

I'm afraid he's slowly lifting his hand off of the Holy land

It'sbecause...wedontalwaysknowwhy...&doinggoodthebestyoucanisalwaysworthit---inside,weknowit'scontrivedbythegovernmentsomewhatanyway--stillnoexcusetohatethem...

Amen 🙏!!!

💪

oh yeah...one of the best songs to dance to....

He say's; "I dont speak English, but love north American music; John Cougar,John Fogerty, Kenny Rogers very much and regards from here in the simple life of Costa Rica." Best I can do

@@petratical Yeah, that's pretty much it. It's very basic Spanish.

Hello, I don't speak Spanish but I want to tell you that I love you and I'm sending you lots of love. ♥️♥️♥️ (The following is long please read the whole thing and scroll all the way down to the end I believe you'll be happy you did. ♥️♥️♥️) I would like to tell you about my youngest brother who is Latino ♥️ Latinx. He is so loving and kind to everyone always he has never ever ever said an unkind word to me ever not even one time and I believe in my heart that he's never ever ever ever said an unkind word to anyone ever in his entire life. He is an amazing humanitarian. ♥️ (What I wrote is long it may take you a full minute to read - I believe it is well worth reading an extra few moments to hear about my little brother, Matt or Matty♥️Bear as I so affectionately call him. He was adopted from Columbia, South America. He was found just a couple hours old in a shoebox swaddled in newspapers on a busy street corner by a kind policeman that took him to an orphanage. He was born with a birth defect known as a cleft lip and palate so that is why I believe his mother who I believe wanted to keep him more than anything made this agonizing, heart-wrenching decision that she made. I also believe that she stood watch close by to make sure that he was safe and was found by someone who could bring him some more so he could get nourishment and cared for. We adopted him when he was 8 and 1/2 months old. OMG my heart's smile and lit up more than anything when I laid eyes upon him that first time when my daddy got off the plane my daddy flew down to Columbia, South America. My family is from Minneapolis, Minnesota USA. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ It's hard for babies with a cleft lip and palette to be able to even drink milk with the cleft lip and palate. I think maybe 1% of the children that need surgery for it actually get it in that poor beautiful country. ♥️ ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ At the orphanage, the nuns always smiled upon him because he was always full of smiles and had those beautiful eyes with long eyelashes. He also had beautiful curls in his hair. Such a beautiful baby! 😊♥️🦋 I believe God sent him as a beautiful gift to our family. Where he was born there was and still is extreme poverty with many people living in cardboard shacks. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ Matt♥️Nelson is Executive♥️Director of a non-profit Latin X organization in Oakland, California. He has been working for social justice and equality, his whole life. He is awesome 👍 He is the bomb diggity! 🌹😽🌹

Que pasa mi amigos en Espanol! Vaya Con Dios . Mucha Besos!

@@jasonandjessicaproductions2877 hola 👋 bienvenidos de Virginia. Costa Rica 🇨🇷 rs un hermoso pais

I actually live in Seymour, they put up a mural for him not too long ago. Not so small town anymore though.

Hello Thanks for your comment and supports, your comments and constant support has brought me this far. Keep Supporting ❤️ Please send me a mail via. johnmellencamp03@gmail.com

Hello Amanda how are you doing!!

Jesus I completely forgot about that and your comment just sent all the memories of that rushing back!

"We're gonna PAINT THE MOTHER PINK!"

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eP0l-H4tAik.html

@@worldvue Thank you so much! Oh the memories the ol days Thank you thank you

@@magicman322 Haha great memory of the good ol days

Hello Thanks for your comment and supports, your comments and constant support has brought me this far. Keep Supporting ❤️ Please send me a mail via. johnmellencamp03@gmail.com

To the likes of Livin' in the USA; Jimi's Star Spangled Banner; An American Trilogy - and yes, I am going to include Ritchie Valens' La Bamba...

it's addictive listening to these song, Unfortunately, artist today have no inspiration and no talent for music🎶 Is this your favorite song from John?

Hello Sherrie how are you doing!!

TheFunkhouser hi "neighbour" from Australia

God bless you to brother.

💯💪

G'day Brendon so i'm i from the Central Coast great song by JM

Welcome to the party!

There's still a few little pink houses out Blacktown way so we can relate. :-)

Hi. Just down the Hume in Moss Vale

Crocodile lover.

He wasn’t exactly complimenting America in this song.

@@NSHM122A true patriot calls out his country when they see flaws. Same reason songs like Born in the USA and Fortunate Son are patriotic.

@@charliesarver Yeah, but I bet @Cosette Hoyt wasn't defining "patriotic" in the way you described.

@@NSHM122 Goes to show you; most people don't even bother to read lyrics.

@@charliesarver Thank you!!! If you can't call out nor point out its flaws (either privately or publicly), then you might as well live in Russia.

Sometimes yeah sometimes now

God bless u and hope the best

Good luck to you!!

Hello Thanks for your comment and supports, your comments and constant support has brought me this far. Keep Supporting ❤️ Please send me a mail via. johnmellencamp03@gmail.com

small world eh... i got relatives named Hill, prob not you but, still cool

Eh? Ain't that a Canada For you and me.... guy. Ain't that a Canada Something to see, buddy. Ain't that a Canada Home of the Leafs Pink back bacon for you and me!

I'm Bavarian and I love this too, cause my Hearts beatn for USA🇺🇸🇺🇸 since I'm a Kid!!! The Marple Leaf COUNTRY🇨🇦 is good-On of the richest Countrys in the world with a beautyfull Nature as far as I know. Nice Greetings from Lower Bavaria-Freestate of the Lion!🦁😁

Absolutely.

I love that you love John. But this isn't country.

Not country, but it relates to OUR country.@@domri4203

What else was she gonna say. You felt like a million dollars and left her a tip.

Very cool...I bet everything in the world was good for you that day.

Spectacular story! You just made my week. Thank you for sharing that 💜❤

I remember it.

Only in America

I recall! Thanks for bringing that memory back. Mid 80's were the absolute best. And for music, one great album after another. Proud to be an 80's child class of 84

You've got a good memory! I'd forgotten about the contest but I remember clearly that MTV played this video a lot.

Yeah, I believe that house turned out to be on top of a toxic waste dump or something.... Ain't that America, indeed!