This reinforces the American values of freedom and opportunity. He is sweet-talking her, recalling a time when she was able to mesmerize him.Īmerica is a spectacle with many interesting facets. "Hey darling, I can remember when you could stop a clock" The man is speaking to the woman as he observes her working. The highway runs so close to his property that it's practically in his yard.ĭespite the issues with the interstate, he feels content with his life.Īnd there's a woman in the kitchen cleaning' up evening slopĪ woman is cooking dinner and cleaning in the kitchen. He's got an interstate running' through his front yard They live in a predominately black area of town. In this neighborhood, a man of color and his cat reside. These images all convey a sense of community and shared experience that is unique to American culture. The final verse depicts people working hard and vacationing at Gulf of Mexico, winners and losers, and the simple man paying the bills and taking the pills that help him cope. Yet again, there is the sense that despite the harsh realities of life, the American people are nothing if not hopeful. The second verse introduces a young man with greasy hair and a rock 'n' roll heart who dreams of being president, only to have those dreams fade away like so many others. The man, however, thinks he has it good, a sentiment that reflects the optimism and resilience that are hallmarks of American culture. The imagery of the interstate running through the black man's front yard is a powerful symbol of the tension between progress and tradition that characterizes American society. The lyrics describe the lives of ordinary Americans, from the black man with a black cat living in a black neighborhood to the woman cleaning up evening slop in the kitchen.
The song Pink Houses by John Mellencamp is a commentary on the idealistic but flawed American Dream. Little pink houses for you and me, ooo, ooo yeahĪin't that America, hey we're something to see babyĪin't that America, oh the home of the free,
'Cause the simple man baby pays the thrills, Little pink houses, for you and me, oh baby for you and me He says: "Lord, this must be my destination"īut just like everything else, those old crazy dreams Little pink houses for you and me, oh for you and me Oh but ain't that America, for you and meĪin't that America, we're something to see babyĪin't that America, home of the free, yeah
0 kommentar(er)
