Glad Jack Wasn't Black

Just learned from this Huff Po article that John Mellencamp's classic rock song 'Jack and Diane' was originally about an interracial relationship.

Here's the video for your frame of reference:



Besides Mr. Mellencamp's hilarious Kunta Kente touche at the end of the Huff Po interview, there really was nothing of note here.  Back in 1982, studio execs thought he shouldn't make the song about an interracial relationship.  Stop the presses.

But as always I went to the real action in the comment section.  And there I found this useless pimple of a thought from one of those provincial provocateurs from the pro-racial slur bloc of the Generally Obtuse Party:

and this waste of eye-use from one of those people who know random, useless facts and make conversations miserable by adding said useless facts like a fart adds to ambiance:

Thanks Matt.  Thanks Lisa.  Maybe you two should hook up in the back seat of a car and prove that stupidity knows no race.  But if either of you had made a salient point, I would disagree with you both.

I am glad that Jack wasn't Black and that 'Jack and Diane' were faceless, even if they were ultimately white in the video and in most people's consciousness.  If you listen to this song, it could be as true for a couple in Lower 9th Ward New Orleans as for a couple in Orange County or a couple on the Jersey Shore.

Art should let the listener imagine and create meaning for themselves.  Now I charge a spoken-word poet to reframe the song into a piece about an interracial couple or about two girls (Jack short for Jackie) or two boys (one of whom calls himself Diane).

And oh yeah, life goes on long after the Lisas and Matts of the world take the fun out of everything.

Mazel Tov.