I sit and cry every time I watch this. Unless you have farmed and know this lifestyle you will not understand. I am a 4th generation farmer and I see it all slipping away. I fight every day to manage this land. Between the government, cheap prices of grain, the weather and experiences it seems like a losing battle. The only thing that keeps me going is, I was brought up to never give up. Hold your head high and keep the family legacy alive no matter what it takes! This song holds a lot of truth behind the words that are spoken!
Keep fighting, my grandparents lost the fight back in the 90's Then in the early 2000's I lost my factory job due to those companies closing their doors here in the States. I'd write a fucking book but hell, it's the same story for millions of us here in the United States, which are feeling less united day by day.
The system is broken thanks to the voters who voted in the ones bent on destroying the country from within. This is how a civilization falls; from within due to conflict.
This has been a problem forever. From serfs to bankers victims those most involved with everyone's survival have been underrepresented because farming may be the most necessary occupation on Earth, but it ain't sexy.
@@johnnylightning1967 no, voters who vote just for politicians from their own party, and not for the ones that are the best choice for the position just because they belong to another party are the ones truly responsible for what is going on today. If people actually voted for the right candidate, and not just the one that the party they belong to endorses, you wouldn’t have half of these loony politicians in office.
John wrote this in 1985. In 1985 I was just like the 3 guys in the intro. Government FHA forced me into bankruptcy that year. Took my machinery, took my cows, took my land, which meant they took my home. Homeless for 3 months wife, two kids under 5, lived out of a car. Got a good job that lasted 35 years. Now that I'm retired, and not focused on work, I think about the 1980s all over again. Nothing has changed farmers still struggle and gamble on the future every day. Some day the world will pay the price of its blindness.
I don't know if you like the band "Disturbed", but they have a song called "Another Way To Die" that addresses that, too, man. Our endless maniacal appetite, as they say, has left us with nothing in the world that we claim to love. You Farmed and your Family provided food and necessities for thousands, but the greed and corruption of our Government destroyed that, along with millions of other people who also lost their ability to provide the commodities our Society relied on....? God Bless you, and we are glad to see that at least you survived with your Family and were able to move on, enjoy your retirement!
Damn right they'll pay. I am 57 and my dad is 85. We had to sell our dairy cows in 2018. The neighbor girl's cried so hard. My dad was in a complete daze. The auctioneer wanted everything to go, but I told him no, we kept our Youngstock and I also did not let him "gut out" our barn. We now raise and sell beef and dairy cows. We also raise cash crops. We were screwed by one milk plant for 3 years and so was 2 other farmers on our truck just because it was not a full load. The total loss on that was over 265k. And no we never recovered from that one. I needed both hips replaced when I was 54. My back never stops hurting. My son is determined to farm. He is 15. I will do everything in my power to help him succeed.
I grew up where he did, i know exactly who the schepman he references is, i knew him on a very personal level in fact. He was an auctioneer here in Seymour Indiana, we bought a couple of used tractors from an auction he was doing, and we ended up having him auction off most of the land we owned a decade later.
Thank you for all that you do for us! I remember running around on the farm as a little boy and getting into everything, My uncle still teases me about it almost 50 years later lol!
They tried to make it about white nationalism. All farmers understand black sharecroppers needed alliance with all farmers. If you are at the mercy of Wall Street arbitrary commodities pricing AND Climate Change AND Water Source restrictions ... Who's not understanding how our grocery stores' shelves actually work? You cannot shoot food onto the shelves. You cannot join hate cults dividing Americans and solve problems. You cannot elect corrupt politicians and expect fair prices for the yield. Willy, Young and Mellancamp aren't popular with Maga Mass Consumption. Gee, wonder why?
@@foobarmaximus3506 It's a good thing to be self sufficient, but you shouldn't be sanctimonious about it. Who's to say the locusts won't come for your crops this year
@@kevinmcdonald6477 right! The point of the other guys statement was to stand together. Yes, you can be self sufficient but hail, drought, pest, theft, and poor leadership can affect us all. When you rely on yourself alone, any and all of it can bring you to your knees and liable to have someone buy your livelihood out from under you...or repo if you borrowed.
The hell is WE? You think I and others won’t take out ass outside and hunt or try to grow out own food? Idk about you, but a great country singer once said “A country boy can survive”. Hell I look like starving just cause farmers quit doing what they do.
This song should be played every day on every radio station until people recognise how long people like John Mellencamp have been calling out the greed and corruption of the bankers and mega corps. Love this song and it still makes me angry enough to cry.
Everything thing we eat comes from the American farmers and rancher. We need to take care of our veterans, farmers and ranchers. Without them we would not exist. Wish more people would understand that like you do.
You wanna be really moved look into the town that inspired this song, Dudleytown Indiana im related to 20 of the 25 people that live there. My family owned the largest family owned farm in Indiana for 30+ years, only 1 or 2 of us still farm the land because its simply not profitable. I still remember my father telling me what my grandpa said the day dad turned 18 "Get out of the house and go get a job, farmin' alone cant pay for 2 families."
Take it from me. Farming is constant stress and worry that the bank is gonna steal your land at any moment; or the government will make some dumb new rule or tax that screws you over.
@@whitemale2230 My granddad's friend took a slug one night behind the outhouse after he'd decided to become a trucker; it's awful what they do to the farmers. Assuming you're in the business, I wish you the best of luck, for whatever it's worth from a stranger.
@@dirtpounder My brother inherited a cattle ranch from my blood-related uncle (who was childless and died from brain cancer in 2017); and I basically work for my brother. The thing is, my brother was young and didn't have a high credit score or anything, so we got screwed by both the inheritance tax and the banks. My uncle's cancer just suddenly struck him and he died within 3 months, he was only able to communicate with a pen & paper because the speech center of his brain was affected. I think he didn't have the time or awareness to put it into a trust or whatever. We had to sell 1/3rd of the land initially to help pay the tax, but we're still hanging on. One good thing is we make really good hay with irrigators and fertilizer, and we're trying to sell hay in addition to cattle; since people around our area don't have access to that quality/quantity of hay on average, especially when there's a drought. Either way, I'm considering getting a wage job to help pay my own expenses. I don't plan on suicide though, no matter what happens. I want to be around to help take care of my family as long as I can.
@@beanvillen24 I think it's interesting when people like music that isn't typical of their stereotypes. I like a *very* wide range of music, but then again, I don't really fit into any typical racial stereotypes, being mixed race.
This song really hits home in 2022. One of the last dairy farms in my local area. Sad to see a lot of beautiful farm land being built up to houses. God bless to everyone this year
That's exactly why my home town of Kansas City has been called a "suburbanized farm town" for many years. Starting in the 70's numerous real estate developers bought out a lot of farmland and slowly but surely turned it all into nice upper middle class suburban neighborhoods. KC is still a very spread out city. You literally have to search to find things to do on the weekends. KC has Arrowhead stadium, oceans of fun and world's of fun, the Sprint center, the KC power and light district, and that's about it. KC is 1 of the most boring cities in the country.
I was a midwest farm girl and my family went through this during the 80’s. Four generations of proud farmers. My Irish ancestors landed in Southwest Michigan because it was much like their homeland. This song means so much to me. Always makes me cry.
I grew up in NW Indiana and married a girl from Niles Michigan. Ancestors worked in the steel mills of East Chicago. They also got shafted. Always the workers.
The memories made me cringe hearing this song on the radio for the first time in decades. It also made me think of what will happen if the population of bees significantly drops off to to the point to where crops fail on a mass scale.
As a struggling dairy farmer the thought of selling everything I’ve ever had just kills me I hope it never comes down to it. It’s what my family has done on the same ground for 7 generations and almost 200 years. Just keeping my head to the grindstone and never quitting
Ford Farming hang in there man. I’ve watched my old man nearly loose it all trying to keep the farm going and he survived. My brother and I are stepping into new roles as he tries to retire now. It’s hard to start farming, it’s hard to keep the family legacy going.
Keep fighting Ford Farmer, I am 6th generation on my farm, it is almost as bad now as it was when John wrote this song, but we will survive somehow. Keep your head up!
My (then retired, but not for long) Grandpa killed himself in 1985, the year this song came out, when I was a teenager. He had farmed his whole life in Illinois near the Indiana border, which is why this song rips me to the core, because my Grandpa was part of an epidemic of farmer suicides that should have been prevented. I'm grateful for the lyrics even now, and the close relationship I had with my own Grandparents, and to the countryside where I spent so much time with them. John Mellencamp speaks to my heart and always has.
+Peggy House I am sorry to hear about your Grandpas suicide. I wish the Government did more for the farmers back in the 80's!!!! I would have saved a lot of farms...And farmers!!! Thanks so much to John Mellencamp for bringing such attention to Farmers. No Farmers....No food!!!!
+Peggy House , First accept my deepest sympathies for the tragic and yes preventable death of your Grandpa. Secondly, I remember reading of a woman so desperate, she threw herself into a fire. And third what a betrayal of America's lifeblood. :(
+John Z When someone commits or attempt to commit suicide they are not thinking properly because of the desperation and lack of hope. While it is easy to label that person as weak that doesn't put yourself in their mindset and only taunts their memory and their family. It is but only for God's grace we are allowed to live each day with a sane mind.
Thank you for your words, I am a 4th generation farmer in East Tennessee we raise beef cattle and hay, and I feel each and every word of this as I lost part of my land to loans. So again thank you for your words.
Sigh, when will people understand that this is not a Republican vs Democrat fight. This is a fight of the people against the political class that thinks they own us.
REPUBLICANS care more. JFK would be considered a hard core Republican these days. These Dems HATE any American success. God bless President Trump. And he supports our farmers. God bless them as well....
@@tammyguffey4945 Unfortunately, BINGO. Today's Democrat is a socialist bent on changing the founding of this country. American success means leftist failure. Successful farms means we're not dependent on the government for a hand-out or other countries. We reclaim our sovereignty. So the way they're set up today, the answer to your question, despite its sarcasm, is a very serious yes.
One of the most heartbreaking songs ever written. Down under here in Australia this is a daily tale also. So many multi generational farmers forced off the family land after years of losing money for every crop they sell or every litre of milk they sell to a huge supermarket conglomerate. A song even more poignant and relevant today than ever sadly.
Imagine how the indigenous population feel? Of course that doesn't make your situation any less sad. We're destroying the Earth and its inhabitants. Indigenous people all over the world have suffered this for hundreds of years though.
@@youjoker9647 Horseshit. The indigenous don't give a shit for the ''Invaders''. All they're praying for is for the whole European Invader Experiment to fail in an almighty crash so they can lord it over the ruins and say ''Good riddance! Told you so!! Die, Invader!!''
There’s 97 crosses planted in the courthouse yard , there’s 97 families who lost 97 farms. I think about my Grampa , my neighbors and my name, some nights I feel like dying , like a scarecrow in the rain. I just love this verse . I wish I could have met mine . This song has powerful lyrics . I think I was 15 when this song came out in 1985 .
@luke5100 He is one of America's finest songwriters for sure. He also was a great comproser and developed a complex music style that was all his own. Lots of influences obviously, but he mixed them into something original.
In 1988, I worked as a repo for Rent-a-Center and I had no problem with the job... I went to repo a TV and the renter told me she sold the TV for crack. I quit the job when I had to repo a refriderator, washer, and dryer. I had to watch this family take all the food out of the fridge so I could put it on my truck.They were just a family on hard times. Later that night, I heard this song on the radio... the line "Calling it your job Ol' Hoss don't make it right if you want I'll say a prayer for your soul tonight." Stuck like an arrow in my heart... I quit the next day. `nuff said...
I hear you man.There isn't enough money out there to make me force another family to go without.I would have to quit before cutting off somebody's electricity.
@@shawnmoore9551 would ya? i went with my partner to repo a honda suv up in the mountains of north carolina, we go to the town, and went on out to the address, which was about 18 miles up in the hills on a dirt road, no street lights, no phone service, nothing but dark, got to the address at a small wood siding house and i grabbed the repo order and went to the door, porch light came on and the door opened, a young woman came out and i told her what was up, she started crying as 3 little kids came out the door and stood behind her, the suv was in the yard, so my partner was hooking while i was talking, i asked if she had stuff inside it, she said yeah and started unloading it, the oldest kid said mom im hungry and she told the kid wasnt nuthin she could do till grandma came and picked them up the next day if she had the gas... so i asked why she aint paid on the suv, she said been laid off for 3 months, husband left her now all the food had run out, long story short, i told my partner to put the thing down and he was pissed, but i gave her 100.00 bux and the keys and told her id be back in 45 days, well, i went back, she had caught up her payments, and gave me my 100.00 , i got back to the office and quit, fuck being a repo man, ITS NOT A COOL JOB
They’re seizing regenerative raw milk and culling organic chickens. Late stage Monopoly sucks. I wonder when the pitchforks will show up in Washington.
Farming...one of America's most dangerous jobs but one of America's most satisfying jobs . Loved driving the tractors and taking the crops in. Lost my brother and dad to farm accidents...but farming is still in my blood even though those days are long gone .
This song holds a special place in my heart. As a 45 year old man who as a teenager could only stand and watch as the man my grandfather who raised me and I will always call pop had it all auctioned off cause of the cancer that was killing him. As the song says to just memories for me now. And to see how politicians and Hollywood treat rural America is disgusting to me
Same. Memories. I started driving at 10. Old Ford while Pop (grandfather) walked behind and planted . I kept it going til we couldn’t anymore. But I still live in the property. And I wouldn’t trade my roots for anything.
Deepest sympathy for you. I can actually say that I know EXACTLY how you feel 100%. My grandfather died of leukemia and we lost our farm . Losing the person to totally heartbreaking and losing the farm is like losing your roots and another family member at the same time. To me it wasn't that the land belonged to us , but we belonged to it and to this very day I feel the loss clean down in my soul.
My dad finally had to hang it up for good 6 years ago. I still remember the phone call I got from him that day telling me he just loaded the last cow up, next thing he said was “I hope you’re not disappointed in me”. I watched him fight for what little he had my whole life and the line in this song “son I’m sorry it’s just memories for you now” guts me every damn time
God Bless our Farmers and for John getting the message across! Blood on the Scarecrow/Blood on the Plow. Our Farmers keep this Nation fed and deserve respect and dignity. Preach. ❤️🙏JM
Retired now. Just managed to get by with a cheese making/ dairy operation for 14 years. Loved the tangible aspects of haying to milking and selling 1000 lb of high end cheese each week, just enough to get by with PT employees. Then a market price crash...lost 50K working 100 hr weeks in 3 months. Best farm plan going forward: 600K loan to make 15K per year if all goes well?? Back to a 8 - 5 job to pay it off. I don't know how anyone can make it unless they have a ton of money in the bank to start. Still love the land and still on the farm. But no longer the same and 90% of the local farmers are gone. This song is about the pride in one's profession and one very few appreciate that it sustains there very existence every day.
I am 14 and in a long generation of dairy Farmers, but all of our equipment is old from the 80s'(the good ol days) and lack of profit is driving us down. the song hits me like I am that son, or my son will be that son. I will not let the legacy end.
I was 14 when my dad, a fourth generation dairy farmer died the same year this song came out. I grew up knowing the value of keeping the old equipment running, even our 2 John Deere B’s from the late ‘40’s and early ‘50’s. We were not able to keep the farm going after his death and this song really hits close to home. I hope that your family is able to keep fighting on.
This song is so relevant now U have so many farmers today struggling to make it or make ends meet in 2023 This song is for all the farmers all over the world this song is for you!
@@Aleph3575 True. I am not a big Mellencamp fan but love this song. Even though I am a city boy now (firefighter) my 1st job from 13-16 was on a farm and the work ethic never left me.
+Donald Schlosser Yes, well in the more western states it's a fantastic opportunity to explore new energy sources here in the US. But we obviously still need farmers for food and milk. So I get what you're saying. Have a good night.
I'm 15 and have never farmed but my father is a construction worker and this song makes me think about how America is losing its heart. I might be to young to truly know but it saddens me to see the worker, the foundation of our nation being forgotten or forced away in favor of the white collar worker who complains on social media. To any small farmers left know that I will always respect you. Please keep fighting. I don't want to see what's left turn into city.
4th generation small cattle farmer from North Arkansas here. Thank You. That is truly a breath of fresh air...... especially given Your age. My our Lord bless You. ❤
it's pretty remarkable how many people my music touches.... I think I am very lucky in that way, I think I have you to be the most thankful for 🎹🌹🎹🌹🎹🌹.
@@traviscarr6536 I don't have time to talk much here, write to me on my privately on Google Hangout,celebritystar262@gmail.com,I’ll keep in touch over there
John a true blue Mid- Western American. Saw him in concert 1985, wrote my first letter to a congressman about the plight of our farmers, due to Johns urging. Happily married to a farmers daughter, God Bless our farmers, God Bless America! and God bless John help him to quit smoking please Amen!
Where I live in Pennsylvania a lot of German descent people. Immigrants from all over Europe came to Scranton Pennsylvania to work the coal mines they saved their money up and bought farmland.
My granddad was Pennsylvania dutch he actually took care of German POW's at a sawmill in Pennsylvania. It was a good life growing up on the farm. Lots of food, lots of hard work!
If this song doesn't get you Fired Up....well then there's something Terribly wrong....the sad part is it's an accurate portrayal of the Plight of the American Farmers.... Thank you... John for bringing to All ours Attention....in such a Powerful manner.... Music....!!!🙏👍😢
I have been spending more time in the Midwest and heartland of America. And I drive by miles and miles of corn and soy fields. These people are great. Honest, sincere, just very= decent folks. We rely on them and should never take them for granted. Bless the American farmer!
+Donna M Ya especially here in the midwest. Farmers are still hurting and we have lost most of our good paying manufacturing jobs to mexico and china because of bought and paid for politicians and endless greed.
You have to give credit to the Mexicans looking after their own people whereas the American people get shafted by companies who go overseas not because its any better in quality but the labour is cheaper or they can skip past laws. Greed it is. They have never grown corn, wheat yet take our work and give little- I hope it comes back them in spades. Ford moved the plant to Mexico not because Mexican workers had the skill or even the company loyality bottom line thinking shows what sort of people are responsible for the decline of America- Teddy Roosevelt days seem far away. Also corrupt elements of the American system also let the Mexican cartels 10x worse than even in Noriega day. The day of reckoning is coming sooner or later. I heard the Mexicans are too pricey to employ they might move to China instead...a vicious cycle also with the bottom line as the only motivator. Mellancamp song is still more true to this day.
I experienced this as a kid on a small farm during the 80's. My Dad nearly lost everything when he tried expanding and prices went completely down the drain. Caused my parents a lot of stress and they never really patched things up between them but stayed together mainly for us kids. They were also able to hold on to our 320 acres and sacrificed a lot to keep it. The 80's were an absolute nightmare for farmers and millions of small farms disappeared only to get swallowed up by ever expanding big operations that over-produced keeping prices low. Good for the consumer, not good for the grower. Today, a single farm is working at least 8,000 acres and they're even feeling the pinch with ever increasing costs and way too much reliance on chemicals. Don't even get me started on Monsanto's devious practices. Nothing has really changed as I believe by design the smaller operations got squeezed out by corporate farms. Control of the food supply isn't possible with millions of independent operators but easily done by controlling a few huge ones. The ones with money can basically buy representation in our Congress to tilt the playing field in their favor-NOT a free market at all. Banning lobbyists, and implementing term limits would be a great start. One ray of light I see is the ever increasing demand for organically produced food, and consumers wanting to know where their food is coming from. I hope someday to capitalize on this as going organic is feasible with limited acreage whenever I someday take the reins. The growing hostility to private property owners will be another headache I foresee with today's political animosity enabled by a largely ignorant population that's easily swayed.
Monsanto is trying to steal and control all the heritage seeds from American farmers and pushing their GMO agenda. Form seed co-ops before it is too late!
I grew up in Southeast Missouri in New Madrid County and still remember Wayne Cryts taking back his crop. The early 80's was when corporate farms got big and that just killed the family farm with 500-1000 acres.
"Scarecrow" was kind of like John's version of "Born in the USA". It was his biggest album in the 80's, had lots of catchy songs, deep lyrics about important social issues and confirmed that even though he was a rock star, he still cared alot about the plight of the common man. This is, IMHO, his finest work & one of the greatest albums of all time.
@@jimhagen4559 John hasn't changed his political point of view. As a liberal, this album profoundly influenced my own point of view and political perspective. There is nothing "Conservative" about it.
Conservative you mean what every Republican President since Nixon has done...favor large corporation farms instead of small farmers. To quote Regan to the farmers, “Go big or go home.”
This is more than a great song/video, it's a time capsule for an America that will never be again. Artists are the true keepers of time, of history, of place. Art doesn't lie. ✌☮🌎💫
I thought you might be Interested in the original Quote by Alanis Obomsawin in 1972. "Canada, the most affluent of countries, operates on a depletion economy which leaves destruction in its wake. Your people are driven by a terrible sense of deficiency. When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money."
Same to you my next door neighbor was a Vietnam vet when I was a kid growing up back in the eighties. He told me Australian soldiers were tough as nails and love to drink and fight.
I love this song. The American Farming family has fed the world for hundreds of years. They need and deserve all of our support. Without the American farm the world would need food desperately.
Not just farmers bro. It's about all Americans or people around the world living through hard times. What I mean is how the government takes away everything, resulting in harder labor for the working man.
I live 20 mins where this video was made southern Indiana. I've talked to many old farmers because I love there stories an all say same thing on farmers an suicide you got a 4 generation farm an it goes under in your hands farmers felt they let there fathers an grandfather's down an that must be so hard. God bless American farmers. An also godbless singer's an people that help out with farm aid an other things.
Greetings from Louisiana..I always come back to this vid a couple times a year because everything in it is real reality...I’d love to hear their stories
Like many 40 something's that grew up in the Midwest in the 80's, this song is the best story of my life growing up. Went to Boot Camp 9 days after I graduated from high school to get away from the Auburn State Bank and Sherman Feed and Supply. I missed it once in awhile, but there was nothing left, had to do something. I wasn't going to turn into one of John Chaney's (banker) indentured servants.
JM is a symbol of the real goodness in America. His music and statements made through music are so right on and touch one's soul and heart deep. My hats off to him a million times over.
John’s heart was in the right place. Funny how history always repeats itself. Fast forward. Let’s go Brandon. God help Americas farmers, and our great nation. 🙏🇺🇸
Thank you for displaying the idiocy that has had people like you and your farmer buddies circling the drain. Hate Americans even more, buddy. You're the past and we're the future.
Not to be an ass but I can name 1or 2 corporate operations many large farms are family owned but you don't get the feel because if all the employees and saving seed is a thing of the past I'd rather plant new gmo seed to ensure a proper crop to feed my livestock and not be short because my saved seed didn't pan out and not all farms are huge my family and I milk 70 cows run row crops on 320 acres and raise our steers to 400 lbs and sell them as feeder calves and that supports 5 people
@@cumminspower-oo9xj Yes, let's ignore potential health side effects of seeds that are genetically engineered by man, because we know that man never makes mistakes. My family has farmed every single generation, and rarely have we had a shortage.
@baw0909 I agree completely. The reason that the government wants corporations to shut out family farms is so that they can control the food supply. If one controls food distribution, they control the people. Ho Chi Mihn used this tactic during the Vietnam War. He held the rice, and only rationed it to villages that his his weapons, soldiers, or provided intelligence. The villagers were often forced to deny aid or information to US troops.
taking his sweet fucking time.... He was helping Aust beat Eng in the cricket recently, which has sidetracked him a bit. Will be back to the farmers just as soon as he has given all the AIDS to babies in Africa.
Here it is 2023. And nothing changed. They should never let the American Dollar leave this land. And the politicians are beyond crooks. God Bless You all American Farmers . Not only farmers now but the USA as we know it.
This song brings tears to my eyes and I'm a sml town gal..God bless John for all his work w/FarmAid as well as farmers and produce handlers where would we be without YOU?
Me and my family lived this song! My dad lost his dairy farm in 84! We lived 20 miles west of Seymour Indiana were John is from. It's 98 crosses not 97..
Never really understood the lyrics until now. How pertinent in today’s society. As an Australian I see our farmers having to contend with drought, floods and bush fires all in one year. Then facing the combined might of the processors for a fair price for their produce. We would all starve if not for the farmers. Show respect.
Never will forget those days of Grandpa saying get that planter filled while I go check on a well and pump. That evening the new combine came down the lane, with lights on, was something to see. Along with that smile on my grandpa's face. Thanks for this song Mr. John...really hits home.
I met John at Sky Blue recording studio in Sonoma California. He was a serious musician and he had dreams. He said he was going to change his name to Cougar that he was getting no promotion as Mellencamp. The master of the studio Chris Hackney said you do whatever you have to do to make your career work. John was in either an old Chevy or a GMC truck with Indiana plates. His musical equipment was wrapped with old carpets and packing mats. It might have been as early as 1973. It's really cool to see how well he did. Bravo John.
I was there, southern Minnesota hit hard. Family farms lost. I gave up a job so a family friend who lost everything could continue. Never regretted it, and I believe I was rewarded with a richer life because of it.
After all the arguing over the ethics of abusing and killing animals for meat, I would also like to add that I think this is a wonderful, kick-ass song. And I very much believe that *we need to support and encourage and preserve the small family farms and farmers* -- and NOT the huge, corporate, over-mechanized and chemically-laden agribusiness industry. Yes, we still need effective humane legislation to improve conditions for animals on farms and in slaughter houses. But the very worst abusers of animals have been the large corporations, not the traditional small family farm.
let me guess you are a liberal ? If so that means u dont have a clue about anything, but what msndc tells u -HELL u cant be a small traditional anything under this socialis gov.
***** No, I'm not a liberal. No, I'm not a conservative. No, I'm not a moderate. Not everything is about politics. Not everything is about Left -vs- Right. Not everyone fits on the one-dimensional political "spectrum." There are a whole lot of other dimensions that don't fit on that silly imagineary line. Try taking off your blinders for a change, get a broader view.
When I was young, I grew up in the chicago burb of Hammond, and then I moved a little east, and I would wake up to the cocks crowing, and think about Johns music. Much later I married an Australian woman who is from farmland in Australia, and she asked me, "Thats what it means when a cock crows." and I said "yeah, it's beautiful." she said, "If we move back here, I want to be a hoosier." To live in the farmland, of the great grain, and the great plains, is a beautiful thing. My wife would have moved 12 thousand miles to be a Hoosier, becase Indiana is polite and beautiful.
@@youtubeme7195 I moved from southern Indiana to lisle in the west Chicago burbs. It’s just a different lifestyle, but Ik many people from my childhood that would do anything to get out of the country
I'm not a farmer myself, but I'm a born and raised Hoosier through and through. And I'm very proud of it. It's a great part of the country that doesn't get very much recognition at all. And it's a damn shame. This song brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it. And the music video that accompanies it drives the point home even better and gives you a taste of what it is like to live in indiana. This is my favorite song . I really think if everyone in the world had a chance to grow up out in the country, the world would be a better place.
The song is based off of my hometown, that part about "400 empty acers" was actually a reference to my family's farm. And it pains me to say that its only gotten worse, the town is currently only home to about 25 stubborn people and I'm related to 20 of them, we used to be the largest family owned farm in the state now only 1 or 2 members of the family still farm. The rest either sold it, died from stress related illnesses, or simply lost the farm to the banks. I remember every single year up until I was 12 I would go to funerals for family members that were either younger, or not much older than I am now. My great uncle, a man I never got to meet but heard a lot about, was about to lose his share of the farm to the bank because of a drought and shot himself on the front porch in his rocking chair one morning while he had his coffee.
John has ALWAYS been 50 years ahead of us and I’ve enjoyed him being the soundtrack to my life m. Me and my daddy used to drive around and scream these songs
This song is more relevant now more than ever. Now more than ever. between today's greedy big corporations, our very corrupt government, I know farmers are being treated anything but fair. I love this song. The music itself + the lyrics are so spot on. I grew up in the 80's, and today's music just don't make the cut for me. 80's has some of the very best music out there.
I have to admit, I love this song and his message. It speaks to the hardworking American families who always seemed to get the short end of the stick, no matter how hard they worked. It almost makes you think that the universe is working against you. Edit: John Mellencamp was never one to kiss the ass of rich, corporate pricks either, as this song spoke to the struggles of American farmers
Loved this song as a teenager and didn’t understand why. Now as an adult I get it and it makes me very upset but glad Mr Mellancamp recognizes the issue. I just cried listening to this and as a lawyer want to make positive changes for the farmers.
This song is perhaps more relevant now than ever. Things are no better in Australia, if it's not drought, it's floods or bushfires and tragically, suicide among our farmers is all too common. Thanks to Supermarkets selling cheap milk, our dairy farmers are paid 14 cents for a litre of milk that it cost them 38 cents to produce! Thanks for caring John (caught his fabulous tour a year or so after this) and thanks for posting.
@@johnmellencamp9644 ......assuming it’s actually you John - your music made a profound impact for the very reason that with “Scarecrow”, you *acknowledged* the hardships endured by farmers everywhere. Thanks for caring.
@@lindadote I don't have time to talk much here, write to me on my privately on Google Hangout,celebritystar262@gmail.com,I’ll keep in touch over there
I love the intro about the farmers talking about farming. There's many truths about their commentary, but the last part is the best. Want to buy a farm? This sums up the farming industry. I can only tip my hat to those who continue farming.
These are John's cousins, they took over the farm right after the heyday of farming in the late 70s, can't say I wouldn't have done the same you could do no wrong
The joke I've heard growing up on a farm was always "If you win the lottery and want to blow it all in one go, start farming!" If these crazy environmental laws start taxing farmers for each cow they own it's absolutely going to wreck them because beef has been the ONE clear profit-the ONLY one for that matter. My Dad has said for decades that farmers desperately need another cash crop instead of just corn and beans. During the early 90's we and EVERY other farmer got out of raising pigs because megafarms wrecked prices and made it cost more to feed them than what you got at market. I remember .29 cents a pound back in '92. By 1995 no one was raising pork anymore.
Man there has never been a more real song for the working man. I'm checking the fence with grandpa man i miss those days. Still checking that damn fence. You passed the guard down to us boys
