John Mellencamp

[fox69]

"American Fool"

"American Fool"


Some people say I’m obnoxious and I’m lazy
Some people say I take advantage of the younger girls and they’re right
Some people say should have been taught a few more manners at home
Some say I’m chauvinistic better of just to leave me alone

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
If I can’t please myself could I really please you?

[Chorus]
Being brought up
The American fool
Being brought up
The American fool

Some people like to talk and tell you their ideals and how it’s supposed to be
Some people are fools like me and say what’s on their mind immediately
Some people don’t say at all and some just care too much
Some people, some people, some people are driving me crazy

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
When I can’t please myself could I really please you?

Some people say I’m obnoxious and I’m lazy
Some people say I take advantage of the younger girls and they’re right

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
If I can’t please myself could I really please you?

 

[fox69]

"American Son"

"American Son"


Stuck inside a jigsaw
Of the Midwestern modern midtown [?]
Feeling like a trophy that
The old man's been passing around
Just another suit back [?]
From a old time college degree
And when I walked by I heard 'em
Saying he was something to see

[Chorus:]
Well now don't you know that I'm the American Son
Living out the old man's fantasy of being number one
Daddy use to tell me, son you never kiss ass
I'm the last of the American Son's
And its such a such a gasp

Its like a shot of [?]
The way the conversation grew
And everybody was telling me something
That I already, already knew
Well I might be dumb
But it didn't take that long
For me to get out of that room and bills
And when I ran into the streets
The crowd was yelling he's such a such a gasp

[Chorus]
Well now kiss ass

Oh, yeah
Ready to get on with that fool [?]

You know that Eddy's [?] in danger of [?]
Of a self indulgent fool
To mesmerize himself into thinking
That he is just to cool for school
Well you know that its fun to carry a gun
And shoot down what you never could be
And when the dealer calls
And has got you by the balls
You tell him that ya, you tell that ya had it from me

[Chorus]
And its a, its a, its a, its a, its a,
Its such a, its such a, its such a gasp

I'm the last of the American Son's [12x]

 

[fox69]

"Another Sunny Day 12/25"

"Another Sunny Day 12/25"


We see it on TV, we get calls on the phone
By the prophets of doom, they won't leave us alone.
The planet is dying and there's no time to spare.
They spend all our days sowing seeds of despair.
We get enough bad news to harden our hearts.
This fear that we feed on is what's keeping us apart.
To say that we're doomed is just an obvious remark.
And it don't make you right, it just keeps you in the dark.

I don't want to live angry, I don't want to live scared.
I don't need no more prophets crying "brother beware."
Just put some work in my hands and give me a dollar to spare.
And don't let me sow those seeds of despair.

Well, this earth is a graveyard, it will swallow our bones.
It was here long before us, It will be here when we're gone.
And it's a vain generation that looks for a sign.
Don't you think we could make better use of our time.
Yeah, the air could be cleaner and the water could too.
But what we do to each other are the worst things that we do.
And we can treasure our freedom behind our locked doors.
But God speed the day when we're lonely no more.

I don't want to live angry, I don't want to live scared.
I don't need no more prophets crying "brother beware."
Just put some work in my hands and give me a dollar to spare.
And don't let me sow those seeds of despair.

 

[fox69]

"Authority Song"

"Authority Song"


They like to get you in a compromising position
They like to get you there and smile in your face
They think they're so cute when they got you in that condition
Well I think it's a total disgrace

[Chorus:]
I fight authority, Authority always wins
I fight authority, Authority always wins
I been doing it since I was a young kid
I come out grinnin'
I fight authority, Authority always wins

So I call up my preacher
I say, "Give me strength for Round 5."
He said , "You don't need no strength, you need to grow up son."
I said, "Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying
"And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun."

[Chorus]

Oh no oh no
I fight authority Authority always wins

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Baltimore Oriole"
(originally by Hoagy Carmichael)

"Baltimore Oriole"
(originally by Hoagy Carmichael)



Baltimore Oriole
Took one look at that mercury, forty below
No life for a lady
To be draggin' her feathers around in the snow
Leaving me blue, off she flew
To the Tangipaho-down Louisiana
Where a two-tiin' Jaybird
Met the divine Miss O

I'd like to ruffle his plumage
That Baltimore Oriole
Messed around with that big guy
Till he singed her wings
Forgivin' is easy-it's a woman like, now and then
Could happen to thing
Send her back home
Home ain't home without her warbling
How she can sing
Make a lonely man happy, Baltimore Oriole
Come down from that bough
Fly to your daddy now.

 

[fox69]

"Battle Of Angels"

"Battle Of Angels"


In the battle of angels
On a street that we call home
And the way that we treat each other
We'll walk down that street alone
Take a lover and a stranger
As we lie in each other's arms
And our word is good for nothing
Brought our world only harm

Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, in the battle of angels
Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, in the battle of angels

You know our lives are full of shadows
With one foot out the door
Trying to satisfy our hungers
And devouring our souls

Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels
Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels

Here in the battle of angels
Out on this horizon line
With our romantic notions
And our tongues that tell lies
We keep the barbwire between us
We're just kidding ourselves
Our pistoleros well hidden
Soaring away from everything else

Battle of Angels
Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels
In the battle of Angels
Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels

 

[fox69]

"Beige To Beige"

"Beige To Beige"


No songs on the stereo
That we could sing with anymore.
No dance that I can do
That would not embarrass you.
A sound bite here and there
With no reason for me to care.

It's just beige to beige,
That's all it is these days,
Little windows for you to crawl through.
You just do what's expected of you.
It's just beige to beige to beige
These days.

Uniforms for this and that,
To be in our club you must wear this hat.
Charlie's gonna look out for you,
You just do what you're supposed to do.
You're gonna fit in here
Just like you should.
Learn the rules and learn them good.

It's just beige to beige,
That's all it is these days,
Little windows for you to crawl through.
You just do what's expected of you.
It's just beige to beige to beige
These days.

If you need a thought
We'll give it to you.
Our statistics show what we do is true.
A world without color
Is a world without sound,
A world to keep the rabble down.
So close the deal, close the door.
Forget about the colors that you knew before.

It's just beige to beige,
That's all it is these days, yeah,
Little windows for you to crawl through.
And Charlie gonna take care of you.
It's just beige to beige to beige
These days.

 

[fox69]

"Between A Laugh And A Tear"

"Between A Laugh And A Tear"


When paradise is no longer fit for you to live in
And your adolescent dreams are gone
Through the days you feel a little used up
And you don't know where your energy's gone wrong
It's just your soul feelin' a little downhearted
Sometimes life is too ridiculous to live
You count your friends all on one finger
I know it sounds crazy just the way that we live

Between a laugh and a tear
Smile in the mirror as you walk by
Between a laugh and a tear
And that's as good as it can get for us
And there ain't no reason to stop tryin'

When this cardboard town can no longer amuse you
You see through everything and nothin' seems worthwhile
And hypocrite used to be such a big word to you
And it don't seem to mean anything to you now
Just try to live each and every precious moment
Don't be discouraged by the future forget the past
That's old advise but it'll be good to you
I know there's a balance see it when I swing past

Between a laugh and a tear
Smile in the mirror as you walk by
Between a laugh and a tear
And that's as good as it can get for us
And there ain't no reason to stop tryin'

[Repeat]
When paradise can no longer amuse you.....

 

[fox69]

"Big Daddy Of Them All"

"Big Daddy Of Them All"


You used to raise your voice so that it could be heard.
You used to shout out your orders, and your word was the final word.
Do as I say and not as I do.
They've taken your picture off the wall.
How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all?

You used to chase your women right into your home.
You used to tell them you loved them over the telephone.
Now they all see through you
And you're sinking like a stone.
No one's knocking at your door,
No one calls,
How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all?

You're sad and disgusted,
Is what you've grown up to be.
Bet you had no idea what your dream would turn out to be.
But when you live for yourself
Hell, it's hard on everyone.
But you did it your way and man you did it all.
How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all?

Now you did it your way and man, you did it all.
How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all?

 

[fox69]

"Blue Charlotte"

"Blue Charlotte"


Exhausted by too many tears
Trouble is everywhere
Hold you in my arms
Blue Charlotte

While your eyes gaze up at me
I’m not the man
I used to be
You still own my heart
Blue Charlotte

Look away, look away
They’re so precious, these last few days
Look away, look away
We watch as it comes to an end
Blue Charlotte

And if you pass tonight in your sleep
You will still have me to weep
I’m all that remains here
Blue Charlotte

Yellow letters from your youth
All of them seeking truth
The poems written from me to you
Blue Charlotte

Look away, look away
They’re so precious, these last few days
Look away, please look away
We watch all that screams
Blue Charlotte

Look away, look away
We watch as Autumn comes to an end
Blue Charlotte

It’s a long, long way from here
Our reflection in the mirror
Now you’ve closed your eyes
Blue Charlotte

It’s a slow walk to the grave
Here we are together today
You’ve been my whole life
Blue Charlotte

Look away, look away
They’re so precious, these last few days
Look away, look away
We watch as something new begins

Blue Charlotte
Blue Charlotte