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Disco della svolta nella carriera di John Mellencamp, "American Fool" è, secondo il mio personale giudizio, un'opera che nel corso degli anni non è invecchiata troppo bene. I motivi vanno ricercati, più che nelle singole canzoni di cui è composto, nel suo suono a tratti rigonfio, figlio di quel rock facile e commerciale che nei primi anni ottanta imperava sulle radio americane. Un disco forse prodotto con mano infelice che, comunque, in quel lontano 1982 fece vendere milioni di copie al Nostro che, non dimentichiamoci, aveva già alle spalle una serie di dischi leggeri, piacevoli e pieni di buone intenzioni.
Quell'anno bastarono due brani a John Cougar per sbancare le classifiche. La furba "Jack And Diane", un delizioso pezzo che non può non piacere giocato sugli stacchi dettati da pochi ed indovinati accordi e la dura "Hurts So Good", un classico rock'n'roll che anticipa l'attitudine stonesiana del grande "Uh-Huh". Accanto a questi due super hits, John regala due ballate d'antologia che ci danno la misura del suo talento: "Hand To Hold On To", con un assolo di chitarra stupendo e la dolce "Weakest Moments" posta in chiusura dell'album. Reggono bene anche "Danger List" con il suo indovinato ritornello e l'imperiosa "Thundering Hearts" con il suo tour de force chitarristico che giunge inaspettato nel finale e che dal vivo faceva faville. Le altre composizioni sono più acerbe e si lasciano dimenticare abbastanza facilmente. Mi riferisco alla fragile "China Girl" e alle dirette "Can You Take It" e "Close Enough". Nonostante ciò "American Fool", il best seller della carriera di Mellencamp, ha il grande merito di far conoscere il suo nome, la sua musica e di aprire le porte ad una carriera artistica piena di soddisfazioni e di successi.
"American Fool" contiene già tutti gli ingredienti che faranno di John Mellencamp una colonna portante di quel "Rock In The U.S.A." che Little Bastard canterà qualche anno dopo con fierezza nel capolavoro "Scarecrow".
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 Hurts So Good (03:42)
When I was a young boy,
Said put away those young boy ways
Now that I'm gettin' older, so much older
I long for those young boy days
With a girl like you.
With a girl like you,
Lord knows there are things we can do, baby,
Just me and you.
Come on and make it, uh
Hurt so good.
Come on baby, make it hurt so good.
Sometimes love don't feel like it should.
You make it hurt so good.
Don't have to be so excitin'
Just tryin' to give myself a little bit of fun, yeah.
You always look so invitin'
You ain't as green as you are young
Hey baby, its you.
Come on, girl, now, its you.
Sink your teeth right through my bones, baby.
Let's see what we can do.
Come on and make it, uh
Hurt so good.
Come on baby, make it hurt so good.
Sometimes love don't feel like it should.
You make it hurt so good.
I ain't talkin' no big deals
I ain't made no plans myself.
I ain't talkin' no high heels
Maybe we could walk around all day long,
Walk around all day long.
Hurt so good.
Come on baby, make it hurt so good.
Sometimes love don't feel like it should.
You make it hurt so good.
Hurt so good. (Come on baby, now)
Come on baby, make it hurt so good.
Sometimes love don't feel like it should.
You make it hurt so good.
Hey, hey
02 Jack & Diane (04:16)
A little ditty about Jack and Diane
Two American kids growin' up in the heartland
Jackie gonna be a football star
Diane's a debutante, backseat of Jackie's car
Suckin' on a chili dog outside the Tastee Freeze
Diane's sittin' on Jackie's lap
He's got his hands between her knees
Jackie say "Hey Diane, let's run off behind the shady trees.
Dribble off those Bobby Brooks slacks, let me do what I please."
And say uh
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone, they say uh
Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone, they walk on
Jackie sits back collects his thoughts for the moment
Scratches his head and does his best James Dean
Well then there Diane, we oughtta run off to the city
Diane says, "Baby, you ain't missin' nothing."
And Jackie say uh
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah, they say life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Gonna let it rock
Let it roll
Let the Bible Belt come and save my soul
Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
Changes come around real soon
Make us women and men
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone,
Oh yeah, they say life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
A little ditty about Jack and Diane
Two American kids doin' the best they can
04 Danger List (04:28)
Written by: John Mellencamp and Larry Crane
Office girls, they pass me by.
They don't know my name.
Put me on the danger list,
just too wild to tame.
Take the drinks off of the table.
Throw my guitar out the door.
Set my sights on some new sunrise.
Help my feet to the floor.
CHORUS
I ain't lookin' for affection.
I guess I need myself a shove.
Give me someone I can look up to.
Show me someone I can love.
Good boys go to heaven,
good girls say their prayers.
Me, I don't say anything at all.
I hope the Big Man still cares.
Touch my soul with your religion.
Cut my throat with your spite.
Hurt me with your silence, girl.
Stay with me, stay with me, stay with
me tonight.
CHORUS
I ain't lookin' for affection.
I guess I need myself a shove.
Give me someone I can look up to.
Show me someone I can love.
Don't go starin' at me.
Makes me feel so insecure.
Talk behind my back if you want to.
I don't hear no more.
Take me to my destination.
Put me on the plane.
Fly me up to heaven, dear Lord.
Take me home again.
CHORUS
I ain't lookin' for affection.
I guess I need myself a shove.
Give me someone I can look up to.
Show me someone I can love.
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