John's first record released was under the stage name "Johnny Cougar" at the behest of Tony DeFries, his first manager. Mellencamp claims it was against his knowledge and will, and he hated the name. A few years later in 1982, he made his break through with the album "American Fool" which includes the hit singles "Hurts So Good" and "Jack and Diane" under the stage name "John Cougar". With 1983's "Uh-Huh" album, he added back his real last name to become known as "John Cougar Mellencamp." By 1987's "The Lonesome Jubilee" he dropped the "Cougar" moniker altogether, and has been known henceforth as "John Mellencamp."
Mellencamp has always been socially and politically active and supported the "Vote for Change" Tour in 2004 opposing the policies of President George W. Bush. Mellencamp is a devout evangelical Christian and strongly believes in non-violence; he has spoken about his beliefs frequently in interviews.
The Real Life
John Mellencamp Lyrics
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She got the keys and the car and the home
But her friends were really his friens
No one stops by to see her much any more
So one night, she goes back down to
The old haunts
That once upon a time were her own
She didn´t know nobody out there no
And the whole experience just made her
Feel so old
She says...
I want to live the real life
I want to life my life close to the bone
Just because I´m middle-aged that
Don´t mean
I want to sit around my house and watch TV
I want the real life
I want to live the real life
Jackson Jackson was a good kid
He had four years of college
And a bachelor´s degree
Started workin, when he was 21
Got fed up and quit
When he was forty three
He said, "My whole life
I´ve done, what I supposed to do
Now I´d like to maybe do something
For myself
And just as soon, I figure out what
That is
You can bet your live
I´m gonna give it hell"
He says...
I want to live the real life
I want to life my life close to the bone
Just because I´m middle-aged that
Don´t mean
I want to sit around my house and watch TV
I want the real life
I want to live the real life
I guess, it don´t matter, how old you are
Or how old one lives to be
I guess, it boils down to what we did
With our lives
And how we deal with our own
Destinies
But something happens
When you reach a certain age
Particularly to to those ones, that are
Young at heart
It´s a lonely proposition when you realize
That there´s less days in front of the horse
Than riding in the back of this cart
I say...
I want to live the real life
I want to life my life close to the bone
Just because I´m middle-aged that
Don´t mean, I want to sit around my house and watch TV
I want the real life
I want to live the real life.
The Real Life by John Mellencamp is a song that speaks to the desire for authenticity and meaning in life, particularly as we age. The song tells the stories of two people, Suzanne and Jackson Jackson, who are feeling disillusioned with their lives and longing for something more. Suzanne has recently been through a divorce and is feeling isolated from her former friends, who were really her husband's friends. She returns to the places she used to frequent, but feels like an outsider looking in. She wants to live the real life, "close to the bone," and not waste her middle-aged years sitting at home watching TV. Jackson Jackson, on the other hand, has followed all the traditional paths in life, getting an education and a job, but has reached middle age and realizes he's not happy. He wants to do something for himself, and won't stop until he figures out what that is. Both characters are searching for meaning and purpose in their lives, refusing to settle for a mundane existence.
The overarching message of the song is that life is short, and we should make the most of the time we have. Society often imposes expectations on us about what we should do and how we should live our lives, but it's up to each of us to determine what's most important to us and to pursue it. Mellencamp's raw and gritty lyrics speak to this desire for authenticity and a life of purpose, touching on the loneliness and desperation that often accompanies the search for the real life.
Line by Line Meaning
Suzanne divorced her husband
Suzanne ended her marriage with her husband
She got the keys and the car and the home
She obtained ownership of the house, car, and keys
But her friends were really his friends
Her social circle overlapped with her ex-husband's
No one stops by to see her much any more
Fewer people visit her nowadays
So one night, she goes back down to the old haunts
She returns to places she frequented in the past
That once upon a time were her own
These places belonged to her in the past
She didn´t know nobody out there no more
She no longer recognizes anyone there
And the whole experience just made her feel so old
The experience caused her to feel older
She says...
She expresses her thoughts
I want to live the real life
She desires an authentic, genuine life
I want to life my life close to the bone
She wants to experience life without excess or superficiality
Just because I´m middle-aged that don´t mean I want to sit around my house and watch TV
She rejects the idea of being idle because of her age
I want the real life
She reiterates her desire for an authentic, genuine life
Jackson Jackson was a good kid
Introducing another character, Jackson Jackson
He had four years of college and a bachelor´s degree
He received higher education and an undergraduate degree
Started workin, when he was 21
He began working at 21 years old
Got fed up and quit when he was forty three
He grew frustrated with his job and left it at 43
He said, "My whole life I´ve done, what I supposed to do
Jackson has followed societal expectations for his entire life
Now I´d like to maybe do something for myself
He wants to prioritize his own desires and goals
And just as soon, I figure out what that is
He intends to find out what he wants quickly
You can bet your live I´m gonna give it hell"
He is determined to pursue his goal with energy and passion
I guess, it don´t matter, how old you are
Age is not a determining factor
Or how old one lives to be
How long someone lives is not significant
I guess, it boils down to what we did with our lives
Our lives are defined by what we do with them
And how we deal with our own destinies
How we handle our own lives and futures is important
But something happens when you reach a certain age
Age has an effect on a person
Particularly to to those ones, that are young at heart
For people who feel youthful, aging can be a lonely experience
It´s a lonely proposition when you realize that there´s less days in front of the horse than riding in the back of this cart
Realizing that you have more days behind you than ahead can make life feel bleak
I say...
The artist makes a statement
I want to live the real life
The singer also desires an authentic, genuine life
I want to life my life close to the bone
The singer also wants to experience life authentically and without excess
Just because I´m middle-aged that don´t mean, I want to sit around my house and watch TV
The artist refuses to accept idleness because of age
I want the real life
The artist reiterates their desire for an authentic, genuine life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN MELLENCAMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind