Written by John Mellencamp

You used to raise your voice so that it could be heard.
You used to shout out your orders, and your word was the final word.
Do as I say and not as I do.
They've taken your picture off the wall.
How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all?

You used to chase your women right into your home.
You used to tell them you loved them over the telephone.

Written by John Mellencamp

Country gentleman walked a crooked mile,
Got our money in his pocket.
Did it all with a very handsome smile.
Now, he's livin' it up in a great big office.
He ain't a-gonna help no poor man.
He ain't a-goona help no poor man.
He ain't a-gonna help no poor man.
He's just gonna help his rich friends.

He ain't a-gonna help no women.
He ain't a-gonna help no children.

Written by John Mellencamp

Is this your life, Jackie Brown?
Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town.
Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown?
This pretty little girl
In the worn out clothes
That have been hand-me down.
Is this your wife, Jackie Brown?
With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown.
Is this your family, Jackie Brown?

Written by John Mellencamp

Virginia's in the bath house sayin', Don't drink the water,
And I'm already in the swimmin' pool.
The woman in the straw hat said, The meat ain't worth eatin',
And sunbathin' here, baby, ain't so cool.
There's a hole in the ozone and the rats all got cancer
From too much tartar and nicotine.
Well, what kind of world do we live in

Written by B.B. Cunningham, G. McEwen, J. Master, J. Hunter
There are minor changes by John Mellencamp in ( )

I preach my dear friends you are about to receive on John Barley
corn, nicotine and the temptations of Eve.
(John doesn't sing/say this first verse)

No parking by the sewer sign
hotdog my razor broke
water dripping up the spout
but (hey) I don't care - Let it all Hang Out

Written by John Mellencamp

The old paper mill stinks up the beaches
As I walk along the ocean shore.
I'm just a plain man, thoughts full of creases,
Haven't accomplished much, but I dream of more.

Mansions in heaven, I see myself walking with the King.
The angels are descending to wrap me up in red velveteen.

I don't control much of my home life,
I'm not an old man but I'm not young anymore.

Written by John Mellencamp

Martha say she don't need no stinking man making no decisions for her.
She don't need his money, she don't need him between the sheets,
She ain't gonna sleep on the edge of the bed for no stinking man.
And that's the way she lives 'cause I saw her last night
Pouring water on a drowning man in the moonlight, saying:

Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother,
Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha.

Written by John Mellencamp

Never wanted to be no pop singer,
Never wanted to write no pop songs.
Never had no weird hair to get my songs over.
Never wanted to hang out after the show.
Pop singer (writing) of pop songs.

Never wanted to have my picture taken.
Now, who would want to look into these eyes?
Just want to make it real - good, bad or indifferent.

Written by John Mellencamp

Never give an inch, that's what I say, son.
When it's too tough for everybody else,
Hell, it's just right for me.
Now, my lips are bleeding
From the selfish things that I've done,
And my heart it lies at the bottom of the ocean.
Sometimes a great notion...

Wanted to make love to my girl
In the backseat of my car.
So, I took her to the drive-in picture show.

Written by John Mellencamp

Henry worked at Sears or somehwhere,
Theo did, too.
They both got themselves a van together;
Nineteen seventy-two, Ford.
Drove around all night long playing music very, very loud.
Big noise, all the time;
Little legends in a little town.

Moments of time they shared together.
Moments of time between two friends.
Standing on street corners with shirts unbuttoned.

Written by John Mellencamp

Sometimes fly a little high,
Then you know better dig yourself.
Sometimes get a little lost,
Then you know you got to find yourself.
Happens to everyone and Lord, I don't know why.

I want, I want,
I need, I need.
I want, I want to live,
To see it all,
Laugh, touch it all.

Sometimes we say silly things,
And act like two little kids.
Like the tail wagging the dog,

Written by John Mellencamp

There's a void in my heart
I can't seem to fill.
Been a parent, had three children
And a big house on the hill.
Hundred dollar in my pocket
And it didn't buy a thing.
Now there's a void in my heart
And a hole in my dreams.

Well I poured miles of concrete
And strung wire for telephones,
Dug ditches when I was a young boy
When I first left my parents' home.