“American Fool” is the name of John Mellencamp’s breakthrough 1982 album, the one that led off with “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane,” the two biggest hits of his career. But in those pre-CD times there was only room for nine songs on the LP, so the album that sold 5 million copies and rode atop the Billboard 200 for seven weeks was released without its title song.
The song didn’t see its release until it was included as a bonus track on the LP’s 2005 re-issue, by which point Mellencamp had gone through a couple of name changes – he was still John Cougar in 1982, and it was only the album’s success that gave him enough pull to reclaim his name.
People became aware of Mellencamp’s common-man political sympathies after he and Willie Nelson started FarmAid in 1985, but in 1982 he wasn’t widely known, and given his corporate-crafted image as a junior James Dean people might have taken the lyrics to “American Fool” at face value. In fact, it was a mocking tribute to a sort he probably saw a lot of growing up in small town Indiana, and we still see a lot of today.
Some people say I’m obnoxious and I’m lazy
Some people say I take advantage of the younger girls and they’re right
Some people say should have been taught a few more manners at home
Some say I’m chauvinistic better off just to leave me alone
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
If I can’t please myself could I really please you?
Being brought up
The American fool
Being brought up
The American fool
Some people like to talk and tell you their ideals and how it’s supposed to be
Some people are fools like me and say what’s on their mind immediately
Some people don’t say at all and some just care too much
Some people, some people, some people are driving me crazy
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
When I can’t please myself could I really please you?
