HuffPo: John Mellencamp's New Song About A Small Town

John Mellencamp's New Song About a Small Town
Posted October 2, 2007 | 02:14 PM (EST)

You might be sick of hearing me urging John Mellencamp to run for governor of Indiana. But the schlemiel in there now just gets worse and worse... and John keeps getting better and better. John has been in the studio working on a new album, still untitled, with T Bone Burnett and it's due out soon... maybe in January (once he makes a new record deal with some company).

Lately he's been busy performing for wounded Iraq war vets -- like all Democrats and progressives, he hates them -- and last month he performed his all-American classic, "Small Town," at the opening game of the NFL Season (between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints), 3 nights before the annual Farm Aid benefit he does with Willie Nelson. Many of his most inspired songs are patriotic in the finest sense of the word, celebrating the inclusiveness and unity that brings people together, like his Woody Guthrie-like "This Is Our Country".

In August he recorded the song "Jena," as soon as he heard what was going on in that small town. He wanted to get it out even before the album was released. Here it is (click to watch the video): "Jena," a powerful and healing song of redemption.

An all white jury hides the executioner's face
Is this how we are, me and you?
Everyone needs to know their place
And here we thought this blackbird was hidden in the flue

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Take your nooses down


link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howie-klein/john-mellencamps-new-son_b_66814.html

ever since he first appeared on the scene. And nothing I've heard from him since has made me think differently.

Like the Boss (whose music I generally DON'T really like), John's a real American working-class hero.

I thought this was a great way to let his feelings be known.

I still have that album. Great album but my, how John has matured nicely. :)

I watched the video the other day, but it was good to see/hear it again. Kicking so other may see it too.

:hi: