Who else hates John Cougar Mellenhead?

[Eurobabe]

Gawd, I can't stand that stupid song. Small town. Ugh.

[Bill of Rights]

1. I really dislike his music, too

His songs sound the same. His voice is mediocre.

[ShaneGR]

22. He's a HUGE Liberal, you should hear "To Washington"

http://www.mellencamp.com/video/ToWashingtonVidFull_ref.mov

Link to the video provided. AWESOME stuff.

[DebJ]

2. why is this in the 2004 primary forum?

[Eurobabe]

6. uh, duh

isn't that one of the candidate's theme songs?

[tishaLA]

3. I hate him

I lived in Bloomington IN for a year and a half (masters degree) and it felt like 3 decades. John Mellencamp was one of the reasons.

[Cascadian]

4. I don't like him.

He just comes across as a cocky a-hole. But that's just me!

John

[JI7]

5. i like that song. good theme for edwards

the song fits him just fine.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. He is a fellow anti-war Democrat you know.

A Liberal!!!!

[JI7]

8. isn't he anti bush ?

and didn't he write some anti bush song ?

[mmm]

12. Hate the music; love the man! He hates Bush and this is what matters.

[incapsulated]

9. This will be locked but

I just wanted to say: I've hated him from day one. ;)


And when I'm President, the song that shall not be named, shall never be played again, nor shall any of the other noxious noises coming from said person.

[utopian]

10. Have y'all seen the open letter on his web site?

He took a principled and public stand against Shrub's war. I may not like his music, but that act earned my respect. I used to bad mouth him, but no more.

[incapsulated]

13. No excuse

For music that would literally drive me insane if forced to listen to it.

Not even if he personally backed my guy.

Maybe if he saved my life. Maybe.

[utopian]

20. I'm not saying you have to like his music

Hell, I don't. But at a time when most celebrities were cowed into submission, he stood up for what was right. That took guts, and for that he deserves the respect of fellow progressives. In some respects, maybe he did help save our lives.

[reprehensor]

11. Not me, here's why...

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1022-13.htm

As the echo of the war drums fades away and the angry masses calling for blood slowly disperse, we, as a nation must now confront the truth. We face the unpleasant reality of an uncertain future, compromised safety, a failing economy, and the question of how a society of otherwise reasonable citizens was systematically lied to and manipulated into backing the political "hijacking" of Iraq.

Before a single bomb was ever dropped, some of us, formerly called the "anti-American and unpatriotic," have questioned or opposed this war. Now, each day, as the dust settles and the truth slowly surfaces, more and more people come to the inevitable conclusion of what a debacle this whole war was.

39,000 bombs later, no weapons of mass destruction uncovered, no dangerous dictators captured, no connection to Sept 11. What have we gained but relentless media coverage of a fallen statue and some stolen oil fields -- the spoils of this misadventure. Not to mention lucrative corporate payoffs and an enormous price tag of over 80 Billion dollars . . . some tax cut.

But what have we lost? We have lost the lives of over 300 Americans. Approximately 2 U.S. troop deaths each day, 193 deaths since the war was declared over. In total, an estimated 20,000 people have died, thus far, in this conflict.

More at link.

[Eurobabe]

hey that's great

his music is just too schmaltzy for my tastes. c'est la vie?

[coloradodem2005]

14. I am not a huge fan.

I like his song, "Pink Houses" and I respect his political anti-war stance but he seems to be a Springsteen rip off and I think that Springsteen is a better songwriter and musician.

[no name no slogan]

28. Everybody steals from somebody.

Mellencamp stole from Springsteen. Springsteen stole from Dylan. Dylan stole from Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie stole from everybody.

When I was younger (teens and 20s), I detested John Mellon Cougarcamp. As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate him on a certain level. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to see him in concert (or even buy a cd), but I've grown to respect him as a songwriter who's not afraid to take a prinicpled stand on issues (like "Scarecrow", which is about the plight of family farmers).

[NashVegas]

35. And Then ...

Mellencamp stole from Springsteen.

And then he and Kenny found Lisa Germano and a bunch of other cool peeps and made a highly influential sound. You can hear the effect The Lonesome Jubilee on most of the alt.country stuff that's not directly Country & Westerberg.

I'm not a JMC fan, but certainly an admirer. When his first albums came out, I put him in the Billy Squire bin. Some artists grow, some don't. John did.

[Democrats unite]

15. He is awsome!

Little pink houses anytime!

[incapsulated]

16. Did I mention...

That I hate his music with the intensity of a thousand burning suns?

Nothing personal. I would feel the same if he where Ghandi.

[Eurobabe]

18. LOL. ditto

n/t

[tishaLA]

19. I agree BUT

it's not as bad as "Ain't That America," which is the most revolting of all his popular songs. I literally cringe when I hear that song, especially when he talks about listening to music on "the rock and roll station" because "ain't that America". Blech.

[incapsulated]

23. I can top that...

Little diddy, 'bout Jack and Diane...

Shoot me now!

[no name no slogan]

32. Actually, the song's called "Little Pink Houses"

...and if you were to listen to the lyrics, you'd see he's talking about the hypocracy of jingoistic Americans who think that it's okay to be racist, classist, knee-jerk reactionaries.

IMHO, it's like "Born in the USA" by Springsteen. Remember how Reagan tried to co-opt the song in the '80s, because he thought it was a pro-American anthem? Springsteen and a few others had to explain to Ronnie that the song was about how Vietnam vets were treated like pariahs when they got back from the war.

[underpants]

17. Has rebuffed Repub efforts to use his songs-tone of money to Indiana U

Reagan tried to use "Pink Houses" as a theme song, not only did he stop them the song is not very positive.

He has given a lot of money to Indiana University in fact they named its soccer practice facility after him.

[incapsulated]

21. So did Sprinsteen, remember?

Who's music did they ever get, lol.

Bruce in 1992: "And don't vote for that fuck Bush!!"

Words to live by.

[rocketdem]

24. To each their own.

I like much of his music and I definitely love his politics.

[stevedeshazer]

25. Total stab here

You're not from a small town?

[MrSlayer]

26. Me! Can't stand him.

Never understood why he was famous. Horrible crap.

[ShaneGR]

27. You know it's personal when people attack the campaign musicians

Soon we'll hear about U2 being the suck.

[tishaLA]

30. Nope. My hatred of Mellencamp

as my post above says, comes from spending time at Indiana University getting my Masters degree. I tried to get out as quickly as possible so I could get my PhD from a place that would trouble me far less.

Mellencamp was like the official troubador of that place, and whenever I hear him, I think of how much I hated living in a small town in the midwest with virtually nobody who was not a WASP.

Has nothing to do with Edwards, whose policies I disagree with.

[incapsulated]

33. Oh, please

No, you know it's too personal to you when people hate your candidate's theme song you get pissed about it.

Hating his music has been a personal hobby of mine since he came on the scene.

[HazMat]

29. Not me - he's great.

While I don't care for that musical style, artists like Mellencamp and Springsteen speak to an audience that leans to the right, an audience that gets to hear a left leaning/populist message framed in a way they can relate to, a message they would probably be closed off to coming from anyone else.

[vision]

31. not me

I like "Small town", enjoy "To Washington", love "Jack & Diane", "I fight the Authority", etc.

If he was active in the 60s IMO he would fit in with Joan Baez and other folk singers.

[Trajan]

34. Even though I never liked him when I was young ...

I now realize: ... John Cougar Mellencamp is a national treasure ....


I would venture to say that he strikes me as a more turbulent, more melancholy american composer, who is not unlike Springsteen ... He is roots oriented, strong in the modern rock idiom, and his songs have become sharper and more focused as he grows older, .. and wiser ...

I dont want to get all gushy, but: ... even though I prefer NIN or Limp or Foofighters and stuff like that: .. NO ONE connects to his place better or more completely than Mellencamp: ...

He is politically progressive, he is a tortured soul, and he is a magnificent artist ..

His last album was superb ...

Your insulting tone is laughable ....

[woofless]

36. Count me in,

but his politics are ok. While I am at it Jon Bon Jovi SUCKS!

[NightTrain]

37. Not me.

I think much of what he did from about 1983-86 is quite good. Certainly a damned sight better than that early crap like "Hurts So Good" and "Jack and Diane."

[OneBlueSky]

38. well . . . he's not a favorite, but I certainly don't dislike him . . .

he's made some really good music, imo . . . he and his band did a version of "This Land Is Your Land" for a Woody Guthrie tribute that was something special . . . to each his own, I guess . . . :)

[Wapsie B]

39. I must be in the minority

cause I love him even without his antiwar stance. He speaks to a part of the country that's just flyover territory to so many. Give me John over the Boss any day.

[devilgrrl]

40. I love the man but not his music...

John Cougar Mellencamp is a GREAT man even though I don't like his music. Same goes with Springsteen, their hearts are in the right place and that's all that matters.

[MyshkinCommaPrince]

41. Writing this from the very "small town" of which he sings....

Here in Seymour, IN, his home town. Hmm. I do not care for his music, but he has done nice things for his community. There is a local art center that he has donated, and I am not sure what else.

Although I might be interested in a Mekons cover of one of his songs.... Hmm.

[Dees]

42. Not me.

I believe he's the real deal. I don't think he ever claimed to be anything more than a small Midwestern town boy. (Pop Singer) His music is distinguishable...that's more than I can say for the three chord droning crap that's out there now and just how many Eminem pieces can you rap along with? Rock on Johnny.