Recorded in a farmhouse in Brownstown, Indiana, the song was inspired when Mellencamp was driving along an overpass on the way home to Bloomington, Indiana from the Indianapolis airport. There was an old black man sitting outside his little pink shotgun house with his cat in his arms, completely unperturbed by the traffic speeding along the highway in his front yard. “He waved, and I waved back,” Mellencamp said in an interview with Rolling Stone. “That's how 'Pink Houses' started.”
Pink Houses
John Mellencamp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Living in a black neighborhood
He's got an interstate running' through his front yard
You know, he thinks, he's got it so good
And there's a woman in the kitchen cleaning' up evening slop
And he looks at her and says:
"Hey darling, I can remember when you could stop a clock"
Ain't that America, we're something to see baby
Ain't that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me, oh for you and me
Well there's a young man in a T-shirt
Listenin' to a rock 'n' roll station
He's got a greasy hair, greasy smile
He says: "Lord, this must be my destination"
'Cause they told me, when I was younger
Sayin' "Boy, you're gonna be president"
But just like everything else, those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went
Oh but ain't that America, for you and me
Ain't that America, we're something to see baby
Ain't that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses, for you and me, oh baby for you and me
Well there's people and more people
What do they know, know, know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
Ooo yeah
And there's winners, and there's losers
But they ain't no big deal
'Cause the simple man baby pays the thrills,
The bills and the pills that kill
Oh but ain't that America, for you and me
Ain't that America, we're something to see baby
Ain't that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me, ooo, ooo yeah
Ain't that America, for you and me
Ain't that America, hey we're something to see baby
Ain't that America, oh the home of the free,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Little pink houses babe for you and me, ooo yeah ooo yeah
The song Pink Houses by John Mellencamp is a commentary on the idealistic but flawed American Dream. The lyrics describe the lives of ordinary Americans, from the black man with a black cat living in a black neighborhood to the woman cleaning up evening slop in the kitchen. The imagery of the interstate running through the black man's front yard is a powerful symbol of the tension between progress and tradition that characterizes American society. The man, however, thinks he has it good, a sentiment that reflects the optimism and resilience that are hallmarks of American culture.
The second verse introduces a young man with greasy hair and a rock 'n' roll heart who dreams of being president, only to have those dreams fade away like so many others. Yet again, there is the sense that despite the harsh realities of life, the American people are nothing if not hopeful. The final verse depicts people working hard and vacationing at Gulf of Mexico, winners and losers, and the simple man paying the bills and taking the pills that help him cope. These images all convey a sense of community and shared experience that is unique to American culture.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a black man with a black cat
In this neighborhood, a man of color and his cat reside.
Living in a black neighborhood
They live in a predominately black area of town.
He's got an interstate running' through his front yard
The highway runs so close to his property that it's practically in his yard.
You know, he thinks, he's got it so good
Despite the issues with the interstate, he feels content with his life.
And there's a woman in the kitchen cleaning' up evening slop
A woman is cooking dinner and cleaning in the kitchen.
And he looks at her and says:
The man is speaking to the woman as he observes her working.
"Hey darling, I can remember when you could stop a clock"
He is sweet-talking her, recalling a time when she was able to mesmerize him.
Oh but ain't that America, for you and me
This represents the nation as a whole.
Ain't that America, we're something to see baby
America is a spectacle with many interesting facets.
Ain't that America, home of the free, yeah
This reinforces the American values of freedom and opportunity.
Little pink houses for you and me, oh for you and me
These small and humble homes are symbolic of the American Dream.
Well there's a young man in a T-shirt
A young man wearing a T-shirt is introduced.
Listenin' to a rock 'n' roll station
He's listening to music on the radio.
He's got a greasy hair, greasy smile
This is a description of his appearance.
He says: "Lord, this must be my destination"
He muses that he's found his purpose in life.
'Cause they told me, when I was younger
As a child, others encouraged him to dream big.
Sayin' "Boy, you're gonna be president"
Specifically, someone urged him to become the President of the United States.
But just like everything else, those old crazy dreams
He realizes that his childhood aspirations were unrealistic and unattainable.
Just kinda came and went
They faded away over time and failed to come to fruition.
Well there's people and more people
The population of America is vast and diverse.
What do they know, know, know
This line is rhetorical and expresses the idea that many people are ignorant of important issues.
Go to work in some high rise
Many people work in urban office buildings.
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
A popular vacation spot is the Gulf of Mexico.
And there's winners, and there's losers
In life, there are people who succeed and those who fail.
But they ain't no big deal
This suggests that success isn't necessarily important or significant.
'Cause the simple man baby pays the thrills,
Despite the lack of success, a simple person is able to enjoy life's pleasures.
The bills and the pills that kill
This phrase refers to the difficulties of daily life, including financial and health problems.
Ain't that America, for you and me
This line brings back the overarching theme of America as a whole.
Ain't that America, hey we're something to see baby
America is a diverse and interesting place full of unique people and experiences.
Ain't that America, oh the home of the free,
This reinforces the idea of America being a land of liberty and opportunity.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
This line is musical filler and does not add meaning to the lyrics.
Little pink houses babe for you and me, ooo yeah ooo yeah
This adds a reminder of the symbol of the little pink houses.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Mellencamp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@magnificentmuttley154
100% agreed... John Mellencamp IS Classic American Rock. Tom Petty, Felix Cavaliere, Bob Grill, Woodie Gutherie, Tom Johnston, John Fogerty, Paul Simon, Jim Croche & Billy Joel (in no particular order) are a small handful that defined classic guitar rock & have made the everlasting impression on all of us. Esp those of who, thanks to them, grew up wanting to be guitarists & eventually became them. Their music is the gift that keeps right on giving, everyday. And no doubt strongly influenced us to be better people 💜❤
Ok ok, Billy Joel is a pianist, not a guitarist. But so what :)
Tom Johnston/ the Doobie Bros., Take Me In Your Arms, 1973
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MCJHHoYm5zE
Jim Croche, I've Got A Name, 1973
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cadvn16N188
@magnificentmuttley154
@@piotrb8434 You have a much stricter view of what Rock 'n Roll is than I do. My opinion of what popular music qualifies to be called Rock isn't restricted to textbook definition. And my viewpoint isn't unique since Rock is a large umbrella that covers many flavors & styles outside of "guitar rock," pleonasm & all
There are hundreds of thousands like me who experienced Pop & differing flavors of R&R firsthand, throughout the 60's, 70s, & 80s, with it's many alterations & changes. We were there! We understand that the range of "Rock" sub-catagories are not restricted only to popular music that uses electric guitar. Whether Jazz or Big Band styles that emphasize the use of brasswinds; Rock-fusion where an all-acoustic orchestra is simply accompanied by a handful of Rock instruments; & Soft Rock that uses a more sophisticated blend of rhythum & melody than these
There are Rock songs that range from being dominated by use of electric guitar(s), through to merely using a single rhythum guitar, faintly in the background. And there are so-called "Rock" songs where the lead instrument is a piano & little if any guitar accompanies it (Elton John, Ferranté & Tiecher, Dr John, John Anderson, Todd Rundgren, 10CC, Pablo Cruise) but such music is still referred to as "Rock" of some flavor
Again, at the risk of offending your formally-trained view in the matter, my opinion of what is called "Rock" & what goes by another name isn't based upon the rigid definitions of a professor who wrote a textbook on 20th Century Music. My opinion is based on 40+ years of listening to ths
e broad spectrum of American radio; some of it mainstream, but much of it not
So, I can see that we won't see eye-to-eye, & I won't waste your time arguing about it. Please allow me to bid you sincere thanks for contributing your thoughts today, nevertheless✌💜
@magnificentmuttley154
There's you, & there are those of us who understood from Day One what John is saying about an imperfect system & an imperfect People living in this Land. We've been listening ever since Pink Houses & Jack & Diane first hit radio & MTV in 1983, when we were children. The message has always been unmistakable & crystal-clear, ever since. And we're STILL listening...
The only other singer-songwriters who come to my mind who are this honest, THIS earth-shatteringly profound are Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croche, Tom Johnston, Tom Petty, & Woody Gutherie
Thank You very much for contributing 💜❤
Tom Johnston/ the Doobie Bros., Take Me In Your Arms, 1973
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MCJHHoYm5zE
Jim Croche, I've Got A Name, 1973
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cadvn16N188
@user-Jacob20
Who here in 2024
👇
@furgulley8077
The opening of this song was filmed at my grandma's house in austin indiana. The scene with the black gentleman sitting on the porch, he was sitting in her rocking chair. My grandmother never learned how to read and if you notice the bible in the window is upside down. I65 was built right through town in the 50's and literally cut the road her house is on in half. My grandma passed away on jan 1st 2019 at the age of 90. Oh how i miss the 1980's. They are great memories.
@selenapozzoli4267
💝💝
@selenapozzoli4267
From Italy
@jenniferloftus2363
Mellencamp talks about how he saw a Black man sitting on that porch and how the highway running through it was the inspiration for the song. He had a black cat on his lap and he waved back at Mellencamp and that was how he ended up writing that song. I wonder, was the gentleman in the video the same man? But in any event, that highway cut through the Black part of town just like so many of our highways did, and a lot of people don't understand what that means. It means that we didn't care about disrupting the Black neighborhoods. It meant that some of us were even happy to do it. We need to reckon with this. This music is "heartland music" and that includes our Black heartland residents. I can't help noticing how many of the commenters identify themselves as Black, which is likely because the average white listener of this music is probably clueless as to who is a resident of the heartland. Then they tell us they like this song too, or they love this artist too. I hope everyone who reads that thinks about it. "Flyover Country" and "Real America" isn't just the white people like me.
@atomic_guy3528
It’s sad how many of the people from the older generations from that area can’t read or write
@papabear3488
Wat a cool reminiscent memory to have especially with this song nice bro 👍may ur grandma rest in peace.
@michaelbreindel9126
I was that no good greasy hair kid working the gas station pumps as a after school job as a snot nose 13-year-old kid in Westchester County New York. You see I was from a troubled middle-class family. My friends were mostly wealthy. I was the kid that could never afford to go on all of them fancy school trips. I always tried to keep a good attitude. So Fastforward 50 years and I'm doing very well in a nice home in Florida. And have a great wife! But you know I 'm still that kid from the rough part of town. That is where my character and personality was born. So, here's to all you guys from the other side of the tracks! God Bless! You're the best!!!!!
@aprilcollier4462
I grew up on F highway in Missouri for awhile in a little pink 2 room house as a child. I slept in the bottom drawer of a dresser in my parents room. My two older brothers slept in the living/ kitchen area on a fold out love seat. We had no running water and a outhouse. And I thought life was glorious. When I got a little older and we moved back to Illinois. We moved to a house that was rented to us by a very generous Mexican family and I got promoted to sleeping on a shelf in the closet. Life was good in the 70's. We were dirt poor and I was happy. One year for Christmas I got an orange, teddy bear, hoolahoop and one knew outfit. I was so gracious and happy. When I look back through the family photo albums everyone was happy. People were real and spent quality time together. I remember the first time I ate a prime cut of beef. I was 11 years old my grandfather bought me that steak. People today are not appriative of the blessings they have.
@user-wq6ee4ru9s
You remember all! That's a good part!