Mellencamp performed an 8-minute version of this with Kid Rock at the 2001 “Concert For New York,” a benefit for victims of the World Trade Center attacks.“Pink Houses” was the second single released from the 1983 album Uh-Huh. If it doesn’t surprise the person that’s writing it, it’s not going to surprise the person that’s listening.” I wasn’t thinking about it – I saw something a couple of days before, and I just more-less reported on it, and it came out to be ‘Pink Houses.’ True art is always a surprise. “I wrote a song called ‘Pink Houses’ that came very quickly. “I started writing every day and painting and drawing, and I found myself open to suggestion,” he said in his Plain Spoken DVD. “Pink Houses” was different, and marked a creative breakthrough. Mellencamp’s previous hits, notably “Hurts So Good” and “Jack & Diane,” took him a long time to write. When his plan worked, earning his autonomy, he started the process of changing to his real name. But he knew that the only way he could ever call his own shots was by making hits, and the name change seemed like a good call, even though it didn’t suit him. In 1990, he recorded as John Mellencamp.Ĭhanging his name was out of character, as he was notoriously combative with his record company and refused to participate in conventions like listening parties. He then became “John Cougar” until his seventh album, Uh-Huh, when he used John Cougar Mellencamp. His manager named him “Johnny Cougar” when he started out, a name he used on his first two albums. Uh-Huh was the first album where Mellencamp used his real name. According to Sykes, the house near the waste dump stayed on the books at MTV until 1992, as they couldn’t get rid of it. The ordeal provided one of the many strange-but-true memories of the early MTV years (and not the only one involving a contest – when they did a promotion with Van Halen making a viewer a “roadie for a day,” the guy who won almost died from the alcohol, drugs and assorted excess). When Rolling Stone ran an article pointing this out, Sykes flew to Indiana and bought another house, which is the one they gave away (after painting it pink). They got a great deal on the place – John Sykes at the network remembers paying $20,000 for it – but unfortunately, the house was across from a toxic waste dump. MTV ran a contest based on this song where they gave away a pink house in Indiana. It was another way for me to sneak something in.” “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. Mellencamp has expressed his love for his country, but has also criticized the US government for going to war in Iraq, developing a dependency on foreign oil and not doing more to support the working class. His songs are sometimes misinterpreted as patriotic anthems, when a deeper listen reveals lyrics that deal with the challenges of living in America as well as the triumphs. Mellencamp is from a rural town in Indiana and often writes about the American experience. This is the album that in my opinion placed John Mellencamp with the so-called “Heartland Rockers” like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Bob Seger. The song was on the Uh-Huh and that album peaked at #9 on the Billboard Album Charts in 1984. Pink Houses peaked at #8 in the Billboard 100 and #15 in Canada in 1984. The image stuck with Mellencamp, who wasn’t sure if the man should be pitied because he was desolate, or admired because he was happy. As described in the first verse, he saw a black man sitting in a lawn chair just watching the road. Inspiration for this song came when Mellencamp was driving on Interstate 65 in Indianapolis. Susan Miles won the house along with a pink jeep and a garage full of Hawian Punch…not sure how that factored in. MTV then had to get another house and they finally did and gave it away. It was across the street from a toxic dump. Oh yes, you could win a free house in Indiana where Mellencamp was from…a pink one of course! MTV got a good deal on the first house…20,000 dollars…there was a reason for that. I remember this song well but I also remember the MTV giveaway contest.
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