John Mellencamp – The Authority Song

Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying

This is the last weekend of 2025. I wanted to post some rocking songs I thought you would enjoy. I wish all of you a Happy New Year.

I always joke about how my sister has really bad taste in music, but this time she steered me right. She bought an album by him before he was a superstar. It was before Jack and Diane and his mega hits from his American Fool album. She bought Nothing Matters and What If It Did, released in 1980. The two songs from that album that really hooked me were To M.G. (Wherever She May Be) and Ain’t Even Done With The Night, which might still be my favorite song by Mellencamp. So, when he broke big with American Fool, I wasn’t too surprised, and I loved the guitar and the sound he had compared to his chart peers.

This song was my theme song (I was 16) when I heard it. Yes, I could relate perfectly to it and still can. Mellencamp told people at the time that this was his version of “I Fought The Law.” He released the album Uh-Huh in 1983. This is when I became a big fan. He had that ’60s rock and roll feel with his music, plus some good lyrics. This album contained many of my favorite songs by him, like Pink Houses, Play Guitar, Crumblin’ Down, and this song. I like it better than American Fool, which this album was the follow-up.

His next album, Scarecrow, was probably his best, but with this one, his sound changed to more of a heartland sound. He shared that with Springsteen, Petty, and a few others. Those were the mainstream artists I clung to. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard album charts, #9 in Canada, and #92 in the UK in 1984. He had 5 singles from this album. The Authority Song peaked at #15 on the Billboard 100 and #41 in Canada in 1983.

I always thought that this was Mellencamp at his most honest,  turning frustration into a song. It’s rock and roll’s nature to know authority usually wins, but still believes you’ve got to push back anyway.

The Authority Song

They like to get you in a compromising position
They like to get you there and smile in your face
They think, they’re so cute when they got you in that condition
Well I think, it’s a total disgrace

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
I fight authority, authority always wins

So I call up my preacher
I say: “Gimme strength for Round 5”
He said: “You don’t need no strength, you need to grow up, son”
I said: “Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
And dying to me don’t sound like all that much fun”

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
I fight authority, authority always wins

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
I fight authority, authority always wins
Oh no
Oh no
I fight authority, authority always wins

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
I fight authority, authority always wins

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

21 thoughts on “John Mellencamp – The Authority Song”

  1. Pingback: John Mellencamp – The Authority Song – MobsterTiger

  2. Good song from his rock period, pairs well with The Clash’s take on ‘I fought the law’. I think the next 2 albums, ‘Scarecrow’ and ‘The Lonesome Jubilee ‘ were his two best and also the first ones where he could totally make music he wanted to.
    Running a bit late at my end today..

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. ‘Pink houses’ is great & I think the one song where he figured it began to click, he could be himself. Off the top of my head, I seem to think he talks about it more than any other song in his book

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes…that was the turning point and he turned right into Scarecrow from there. But for me…no matter what he does…it will be hard to top Ain’t Even Done With The Night. I can’t tell you the reason I like it so much…I just do.

        Like

  3. It is indeed a rocking one. Good live version. I have to agree with you (and your sister) about “Ain’t Even Done With The Night”. That one is way up there for me.I was shoveling snow and ice yesterday after Friday’s storm, and I was listening to the radio and they played “Cherry Bomb”, and I think that the video for that is my favorite of all time. It makes me cry every time. There’s just something about the couple dancing, him dancing by himself, the violin, accordion, the lyrics, the home movies, it just gets to me. A close second is Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush with “Don’t Give Up”. Anyway, I think Mellencamp’s output from Uh-Huh through Whenever We Wanted is his best, though he’s done very good work since (Sad Clowns And Hillbillies). He certainly copped a few dance moves from James Brown on that live video. Sorry for writing a book.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I really like Cherry Bomb as well…and the video…That was my favorite song off of Lonesome Jubilee. I saw him in the early 90s and I’m glad I did…he did cop some moves from James Brown!
      I wish we could get some snow! You can write a novel here if you want!

      Like

      Reply

      1. Snow would be fine. This was a mixture of ice and snow and had to be chopped with an ice chopper. What a mess. Don’t encourage my long-windedness.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. lol…well I don’t mind at all! That is our trouble here…no only do we get some snow…we get ice as well. I remember a few years ago we had a half inch of ice on the roads. I worked home for a week.

        Like

  5. a songwriter at heart that knew is roots…..loved watching that video of him at Pete Seeger’s birthday party at Madison Square years ago, leading that room on if i had a hammer was good to see….

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment