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.
Too Young to Live
John Mellencamp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got the old man jacking you around
And he tells you what to do
Gives your opinions to you
And you feel like just some kinda clown
And the old lady is bitchin
Why do you clean up all the kitchen
What time you gonna be home tonight
Cause you can't take anymore
You don't know wrong from right
As you walk by
All the young girls gonna wink their eye
You ain't playin' for pennies no no
You know that the trick is to hide
Your to young to live
But your a little to fast to die
Well you fear for you ass and run ??
Down that grass, when the crowd comes near ??
And the suicide dolls ?? can be easily bought
After a six, six pack of beer
And they talk a little loud
When their - "Who have you been with now" ??
Did you find yourself a hero
And you think its kinda fun
That you don't have any money
To bet if you place or you show
(Chorus)
(Variance)
All the young girls gonna shake their thigh
Well some time in the night
You cry for a sign
Of someone to help you along
But you see yourself as tough
And you know its just a bluff
You got that reputation to carry on
And if you ever get away
>From what the old man might say
Hey you been a big man .....
You'll remember the cliché
In what your mother use to say
Your family is your only friend
(Chorus)
The lyrics of John Mellencamp’s “Too Young to Live” reflects on the struggles of the youth dealing with the pressures of society and their own personal lives. The verse, “It’s hard to be cool when you’re still in high school… You feel like just some kinda clown” demonstrates how the singer is constantly criticized by his/her peers and adults, causing insecurity and a lack of self-worth. Additionally, the lines “And you walk out the door cause you can't take anymore, you don't know wrong from right”, depict how he/she has no guidance or proper direction in their life.
Moreover, the song comments on the idea of youthful rebellion and the need to hide such rebelliousness. Specifically, the lyric “You ain’t playin’ for pennies, no, no, you know that the trick is to hide” illustrates how the singer is trying to maintain an image, rather than face the consequences of their actions. This is evident when Mellencamp sings “You fear for your ass and run… down that grass when the crowd comes near”, demonstrating that the singer is fearful of judgment by the crowd.
The song ultimately ends with the message of coming back to reality and understanding the significance of family. This is reflected in the lyric “Your family is your only friend”, indicating that the singer realizes the importance of familial support and advice.
Line by Line Meaning
Well its hard to be cool when your still in High School
It's difficult to maintain your coolness while still in high school.
You got the old man jacking you around
Your dad is bossing you around.
And he tells you what to do
He instructs you on what to do.
Gives your opinions to you
He imparts his opinions upon you.
And you feel like just some kinda clown
You feel like a clown or a fool.
And the old lady is bitchin'
And your mom is nagging you.
Why do you clean up all the kitchen
Why are you cleaning up the kitchen?
What time you gonna be home tonight
What time will you come back home tonight?
And you walk out the door
And you leave the house.
Cause you can't take anymore
Because you can't handle it anymore.
You don't know wrong from right
You don't know what's right or wrong.
As you walk by
As you pass by.
All the young girls gonna wink their eye
All the young girls will flirt with you.
You ain't playin' for pennies no no
You're not doing something for minimal profit.
You know that the trick is to hide
You know that the secret is to conceal something or yourself.
Your to young to live
You're too young to fully experience life.
But your a little to fast to die
But you're a little too impulsive or reckless to die.
Well you fear for you ass and run
You're scared and you run away.
Down that grass, when the crowd comes near
Run into the grass when the crowd gets close.
And the suicide dolls can be easily bought
And you can easily purchase dangerous drugs.
After a six, six pack of beer
After drinking six beers.
And they talk a little loud
They talk loudly.
When their- "Who have you been with now" ? ?
When they ask you about who you've been with.
Did you find yourself a hero
Did you find somebody to idolize or admire?
And you think it's kinda fun
And you find it somewhat amusing.
That you don't have any money
That you lack money.
To bet if you place or you show
To place a bet on a horse race.
(Chorus)
Repeating the chorus from earlier in the song.
(Variance)
Variation in the chorus from the earlier one.
All the young girls gonna shake their thigh
All the young girls will dance provocatively.
Well some time in the night
At some point during the night.
You cry for a sign
You plead for a sign or help.
Of someone to help you along
Someone to assist or guide you.
But you see yourself as tough
But you view yourself as strong or resilient.
And you know it's just a bluff
And you know it's just a facade or act.
You got that reputation to carry on
You have a reputation to uphold.
And if you ever get away
And if you ever escape or leave.
>From what the old man might say
From whatever your dad might say.
Hey you been a big man .....
Hey, you've become a grown-up or an adult.
You'll remember the cliché
You'll recall the stereotype or commonplace phrase.
In what your mother use to say
In what your mom used to tell you.
Your family is your only friend
Your family is your sole companion or ally.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN MELLENCAMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind