Jack & Diane by John Cougar
Artist: John Cougar Weeks at #1: 4 weeks Chart dates: October 2, 1982 – October 23, 1982
About
Despite John ‘Cougar’ Mellencamp’s many hits, “Jack And Diane” remains his sole chart-topper, having hit #1 in the US in the fall of 1982. It was ranked the #7 song of 1982 by Billboard. The song also reached #3 in Canada and #5 in Australia. According to Mellencamp, “Jack & Diane” was originally based on the 1966 Tennessee Williams film Sweet Bird of Youth. But when record executives balked at a song about interracial love, Mellencamp instead made the song about two typical midwest teenagers coming of age. Originally, his record label was not supportive of releasing the song as a single, so Mellencamp asked the company that was already making music videos for two of his other singles to secretly make a music video for “Jack And Diane” too. When audiences at his shows began singing along to “Jack And Diane” more than the album’s first single, the record company relented and released it ahead of the previously-planned “Hand To Hold Onto”.
