John Mellencamp

[fox69]

"The West End"

"The West End"


Well the West End now
The West End then
Went by the other day
Just to see my friend
His house was dark
His socks were thin
I told him let's get out the West End

For my whole life
I've lived down in the West End
But it sure has changed here
Since I was a kid
It's worse now
Look what progress did
Someone lined their pockets
I don't know who that is

Well my old man slaved
Down here in the West End
He thought the future was bright
Way back then
But it beat him down
Till he had nothing to give
It broke his back
Took away his will to live

Now me
I don't think much of the West End
Ain't gonna end up
Like the old man did
'Cause I got dreams and they're bigger than this
As far as I'm concerned
You can keep the West End

Well I guess down here
In the West End
Broken promises
Now and then
It's not even fair
To think that they would
'Cause the West End now
Ain't no damn good

Out there somewhere
You know there's gotta be a place
Where a man can live
With a smile on his face
And every day something new begins
But it ain't down here
At the West End

Some day down here
In the West End
No one will remember
How the whole place began

 

[fox69]

"The Whore"

"The Whore"


And now I must face
The crowd once again
The curtain is calling
And the show must begin
The lights grow dim on the floor
And they call me the whore, oh yeah
They call me the whore
They call me the whore
They call me the whore

 

[fox69]

"Theo And Weird Henry"

"Theo And Weird Henry"


Henry worked at Sears or somehwhere,
Theo did, too.
They both got themselves a van together;
Nineteen seventy-two, Ford.
Drove around all night long playing music very, very loud.
Big noise, all the time;
Little legends in a little town.

Moments of time they shared together.
Moments of time between two friends.
Standing on street corners with shirts unbuttoned.
There was a moment in time they swore they were friends to the end.

Couple of wild boys
They told me they could hear the grass grow.
Theo used to say, hey Henry, man,
I'm screwin' this cat.
You're just holdin' it.
I never knew what they was talking about
But they laughed like they both thought it was funny.
Theo and weird Henry went chasing after something
And neither one of them believing in nothing.

Moments in time they shared together,
Called themselves the "He-man women lovers club,"
Throwin' pop bottles against the wall just to get some attention.
There was a moment in time they swore they were friends until the end.

Theo's out there living it up doing a little earth shaking -somewhere.
Henry sent a postcard from a better place
But I can see them both sitting there laughing and breathing.
I can still see that smile on weird Henry's face.

Moments in time they shared together,
Moments in time between two friends.
Dancing on that old van with their shirts wide open,
That was a moment in time they swore they were blood brothers until the end.

 

[fox69]

"They're So Tough"

"They're So Tough"


They're so tough

They like to make us feel little
They like to make us feel small
And keep us down
'Til we feel no good at all

Then they tell us that we're stupid
That we got no sense at all
They'll ke away the spark
Keep us in the dark
Make us feel we have no vision at all

[Chorus:]
No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way
No, I don't believe it has to be this way

Then they tell us to be patient
That our time will come
But I've stood outside their doors
And walked their floors
And I ain't gonna do it again

They'd like to make me their nigger
I say to hell with them
I'm not gettin' down on my knees
And beggin' please
Can you throw me a crumb now and then

[Chorus]

I can't really speak to you
And I don't know about them
They must be out of their minds
Can't read between the lines
They can stick it where the sun don't shine

[Chorus]

They're so tough

They are so tough

 

[fox69]

"Thinking About You"

"Thinking About You"


It's not my nature
To be nostalgic at all
I sat by the phone last night
Waiting for you to call
It's been decades since I spoke to you
I just wanted to say
I've been thinking about you

Did you get my message
I left the other afternoon
Your young girl's voice said
I'll call you back real soon
I bet that's your daughter
She sounded like you used to
I just wanted to say
I've been thinking about you

So long ago
Those summer afternoons
I bet they've torn that playground down
Where I first met you

Don't mean no trouble
Don't want to bother you none
Ain't looking for nothing
Just wondering about you some
If you ain't got time
To return this call
I understand
That you're busy and all
But thanks for the memories
When the world didn't seem so small
I just wanted to say
I've been thinking about you
About you
Thinking about you

 

[fox69]

"This May Not Be The End Of The World"

"This May Not Be The End Of The World"


Please be quiet, everyone's asleep
Stella's locked her door and she's requested some peace
She teaches the English at the American school
She teaches imaginary numbers and the golden rule
She says it's hard to worry about the future
When your past is knocking at your door
Sweet mistakes and information
Have been her lovers before

Hello, all you losers
You've got nothing to fear
This may not be the end of the world
But you can see it from here

She runs the motors and the music
On the carousel ride
She catches the children on the horses
As they fall through the rye
It's hard to see the future
When your back is bending over your shoes
It's hard holding on to nothing
When you've got nothing to lose

Hello, all your losers
You've got nothing to fear
This may not be the end of the world
but you can see it from here

I guess you heard about Ol' PeeWee
We had to tear his playhouse down
Then they put him in the electric chair
We'll have some fun now

When you see her, give her some compliments on her looks
She'll be wearing a Mardi Gras dress
Coming after you with words and books
We've given you the best seats in the house
So don't be late
St. Peter is at the door
And he ain't no man to wait

Hello, all you losers
You've got nothing to fear
This may not be the end of the world
But you can see it from here

Hello, all you losers
You've got nothing to fear
This may not be the end of the world
But you can see it from here

 

[fox69]

"This Time"

"This Time"


I've had a lot of girls in my life
They never meant that much to me
A good time was always had by all
But those good times, they were fleeting memories
I used to lie to them and then I'd kiss them
But I kept them an arm's length away
Well hey man now you know me
And look how silly I been acting today

[Chorus:]
This time I really think I'm in love, I'm in love
This time I think I'm really in love
This time I really think I'm in love
This time I think I'm really in love

I used to roll down the window
And let that tape deck blow
And look at the honey I was holding that night
I'd say, "Hey girl you're the one"
And then I'd laugh when I'd take her home
You got your arms around my shoulders
You got my soul confused with my heart
You were too smart to believe all those tired lines
And I was too dumb to know what had started

I hope you don't lose that innocent laughter
I hope time doesn't take that away

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Thundering Hearts"

"Thundering Hearts"


In these long, hot summer days,
Need a way to cool ourselves down.
Pop off the top of that Chevrolet,
Drive through the carwash, laugh
And fall around.

Smokin' the old Ducados the old man got down in Spain.
Eatin' eggs and French fries on the side.
Ride that Harley Davidson in the hot summer heat.
Lord knows that I just love to ride.

Go by and pick up that Kentucky girl.
She knew me when I got my start.
Oh yeah, those were different days...

[Chorus:]
In the valley of the thundering hearts,
Thundering hearts
Thundering hearts
Thundering hearts

Get your greasy hair, girl, right on my face.
This old redneck's on fire, burnin' up.
Give us a kiss, baby, make it on the same place.
Humidity's about to drive me all crazy wild.

Pretty soon, the sun will be goin' down,
And this little town will be cool and dark.
Forget about heaven. Let me stay here forever

[Chorus:]
In the valley of the thundering hearts
Thundering hearts
Thundering hearts
Thundering hearts

 

[fox69]

"To Live"

"To Live"


Sometimes fly a little high,
Then you know better dig yourself.
Sometimes get a little lost,
Then you know you got to find yourself.
Happens to everyone and Lord, I don't know why.

I want, I want,
I need, I need.
I want, I want to live,
To see it all,
Laugh, touch it all.

Sometimes we say silly things,
And act like two little kids.
Like the tail wagging the dog,
We both get hurt by what was said,
That's okay, that's allright with me,
I'd rather fight with you than lay down and die.

I want, I want,
I need, I need.
I want, I want to live,
To see it all,
Laugh, touch it all.

I want, I want,
I need, I need.
I want, I want to live,
To see it all,
Laugh, touch it all,
To live, to see it all.

 

[fox69]

"To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)"

"To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)"


I was watching a movie the other night on T.V.
The actress reminded me of you
Her attitude, the way that she smiled
She was doin' a part girl, like you used to do
I do believe you played it better
If it wasn't better, it was just as strong
I would've called you up on the telephone that night
But somehow girl, it'd been all wrong

I heard you married a stranger
In a horse and carriage that was covered with gold
Well, you wanted to be different and still fit in
I wonder if you feel different at all now that you're older
Hope you didn't lose that innocent laughter
Oh, God I hope time didn't take that away
All those junior high nights underneath the front porch light
A good Catholic girl during the day

[Chorus:]
Oh, oh just watching the time grow
Old enough to know that these memories can't hurt a thing
Oh, oh just watching the time grow
If I saw you today, girl I wouldn't even know ya

Well I know it wasn't that big of a love affair
But boy, it sure seemed like one back then
When I parlay the memories into their proper places
I can see now we were no more than friends
Ooh your kisses sure tasted sweet
But I guess any kiss tastes sweet at fifteen
I just hope your touch is as warm to your ol' man
As it seemed like it was to me

[Chorus]