So old Johnny Cougar has been heard from for about the first time in this century. He wants us to know that he too had to deal with racism, that he too suffered, that he too conquered and overcame. In a recent interview, middling rock singer John Mellencamp stated for the record that his single “Jack and Diane”, recorded in 1982, was originally about an “interracial couple”. Upon proposing it to the record company, Mellencamp was told, no – they couldn’t handle that; write about something else. Being what he called a “young performer” lacking in clout, Mellencamp complied and transformed the characters into a football player and a debutante. Well, there’s a few things wrong with that story. (Quite apart from the fact that the video makes it clear that the song is intended as a reflection on Mellencamp’s own life.)  First, the claim concerning his youth and callowness – in 1982, Mellencamp had been releasing...(Read Full Post)