Written by: John Mellencamp

When paradise is no longer fit for you to live in
And your adolescent dreams are gone
Through the days you feel a little used up
And you don't know where your energy's gone wrong
It's just your soul feelin' a little downhearted
Sometimes life is too ridiculous to live
You count your friends all on one finger
I know it sounds crazy just the way that we live

Written by: Traditional

Was a dark stormy night
As the train rattled on
All the passengers had gone to bed
Except a young man with a baby in his arms
Who sat there with a bowed-down head

The innocent one began crying just then
As though its poor heart would break
One angry man said, Make that child stop its noise
For it's keeping all of us awake.

Written by: John Mellencamp

He was born on the fourth day of July
So his parents called him Independence Day
He married a girl named Justice who gave birth

Written by: John Mellencamp

She calls me up and says baby it's a lonely ol' night
I don't know I'm just so scared and lonely all at the same time
Nobody told us it was gonna work out this way No, no, no, no, no
I guess they knew we'd work it out in our own way

Chorus
It's a lonely ol' night
Can I put my arms around you
It's a lonely ol' night
Custom made for two lonely people like me and you

Written by: John Mellencamp and George M. Green

On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown
He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line
He looked at the young man who was riding beside him
He said I'm old kind of worn out inside
I worked my whole life in the steel mills of Gary
And my father before me I helped build this land
Now I'm seventy-seven and with God as my witness

Written by: John Mellencamp and George Green

Scarecrow on a wooden cross Blackbird in the barn
Four hundred empty acres that used to be my farm
I grew up like my daddy did My grandpa cleared this land
When I was five I walked the fence while grandpa held my hand

Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation This land made me proud

Written by: John Mellencamp

They come from the cities
And they come from the smaller towns
Beat up cars with guitars and drummers
Goin crack boom bam

Chorus
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A., Yeah, Yeah!
Rockin' in the U.S.A.

Said goodbye to their families
Said goodbye to their friends
With pipe dreams in their heads
And very little money in their hands

Written by: John Mellencamp

All the leaves are green
All my friends are gone
I'm livin' in my hometown
I can barely get along
I feel sorry for myself
That's an easy thing to do
I feel sorry for the world
I feel sorry for you
Yes I am a pitiful sight
I can't even get one thing right

Chorus
I know just what it's like
To be ridin' in the rumbleseat
Yes I know just what it's like

Written by: John Mellencamp

Well I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Prob'ly die in a small town
Oh, those small communities

All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity

Educated in a small town
Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town
Used to daydream in that small town

Written by: John Mellencamp

As I run through this life
Sometimes it breaks my heart
Seein' old people goin' downtown
Stumblin' their way through the dark
And the little babies cry
For their mothers' warmth
Sometimes I feel so helpless
I don't know where to start

CHORUS
And the face of the nation
Keeps changin' and changin'
The face of th enation
I don't recognize it no more

Written by: John Mellencamp

Well I don't like it when I see your eyes dartin'
Back and forth across the room
And I don't like it when I see you doin' dances
Baby that I ain't used to

CHORUS
But that's the kind of fella I am
That's the kind of fella I am
I'm a jealous kinda fella
And I might fall in love with you
I'm a jealous kinda fella
And I just might fall in love with you
Hey

Written by: John Mellencamp

I've seen the Rolling Stones
Forgot about Johnny Rotten
Saw the Who back in '69
Saw Bobby Seal
Talkin' to the Panthers
Sayin' just what he had on his mind
I saw Marlon Brando
On a motorcycle
He was actin' out rebellion
I saw Rocky Stallone
In an X-rated movie
Called the Italian Stallion
I've seen lots of things
But I have not seen a lot of other things

CHORUS