Quotes from John Mellencamp

I want to sell to people my own age, because that's the way I write songs.

Do I think it's OK to fight authority as long as you're only talking about the high school teacher? No.

I don't want to be a politician. I don't like politics. It's petty it fights dirty.

You cannot expect the guy who drove the car into the ditch to navigate it out of the ditch. You have to put a new driver in the seat. I'm not saying the new driver is going to be any better, but we need a new driver. Kerry is the only choice.

I have to say when a man lives for himself, it's hard to live with him. That's pretty much the story of all my divorces. I've been making records since I was 22 and done things my way, and it's hard for me to compromise. And of course, to have a successful relationship, one has to compromise. Sometimes I'm not good at it.

As I get older, I have a different look on life. I just try to be a little more tolerant and a little bit more centered about what's going on around me and not so emotional.

I don't have to worry about any pop sensibility. I can write adult songs, and I don't have to worry about choruses and hook lines.

This is not a rock opera. This is not Tommy. I can write songs that emote, and that's it.

My task with 'Uh-Huh' was to make a more even record and get away from juvenile topics like 'Hurts So Good.' But I also knew if I wanted to continue, I had to have more hits.

We have been lied to and terrorized by our own government, and it is time to take action.

Nobody heard anything ahead of time.

Sometimes love don't feel like it should, you make it hurt so good.

This cycle of make a record, tour has been going on for 20 years now. I don't even know why I do it sometimes. Do I need more money? Do I need more platinum and gold records? The only thing I can think of is ego.

Unemployment is sky-rocketing; deflation is in our future for the first time since the Great Depression. I don't care whose fault it is, it's the truth.

Now more than ever the world needs love, not just a slogan.

I've seen beautiful art on the sides of buildings. I've seen beautiful art in museums. I've seen beautiful art in galleries. Beautiful art is everywhere.

People in Indiana have known me for 25 years. They've known George Bush four.

For me to pretend I'm the keeper of the small town mentality or that's all I'm interested in is wrong.

Bob Dylan's first couple of records in the 60's weren't considered cover records, but he only wrote one or two original songs on each album.

When I wrote 'Pink Houses,' nobody was talking about that, right? The next thing I know, you can't see the TV without hearing commercials with 'Listen to the heartbeat of America,' or 'Born the American way.' That whole America thing now - I hate it.

I'm the guy who wrote The Authority Song. Did they think I was kidding? Did they think it was only a song to entertain?

American folk songs were about tragedy, right? They were about suffering and tragedy, and a lot of my songs are about that, even though they were misunderstood.

It's my responsibility as a singer-songwriter to report the news.

His frustration running very high, he takes it out on the ones he loves because it's safe.