Jack and Diane

"Jack and Diane" is a 1982 hit song written and performed by American singer-songwriter, John Mellencamp, then performing as "John Cougar". It appears on Mellencamp's album American Fool. It was chosen by RIAA as one of the Songs of the Century. The single spent four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one in 1982, and, to date, is the biggest hit single ever for Mellencamp, especially with its accompanying music video.

According to Mellencamp, "'Jack and Diane' was written after watching Splendor in the Grass, [a 1961 movie starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty]. 'Jack and Diane' was a terrible record to make. When I play it on guitar by myself, it sounds great; but I could never get the band to play along with me. That's why the arrangement's so weird. Stopping and starting, it's not very musical." Mellencamp has also stated that the clapping wasn't supposed to be included in the finished song. It was recorded with the clapping in order to help keep tempo and then it was to be removed. However, he realized the song didn't work without it.

Mellencamp revisited the characters of Jack and Diane in his 1998 song "Eden Is Burning", one line of which is, "How could I have been so wrong about you".

[edit] Trivia

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Famous musical comedian "Weird Al" Yankovic was denied permission to use this song for his self titled debut album. Legally, Weird Al can parody any song he chooses (as long as he pays royalties for using the melody of the original song), but he has always asked permission because he doesn't wish to offend the original artist. He, thus, chose to alter the musical content of his intended parody song "Chuck & Diane" and changed the title to "Buckingham Blues". Incidentally, however, "Weird Al" did get to do a parody of this song on The Simpsons episode "Three Gays of the Condo".

Jessica Simpson samples this song in her single "I Think I'm in Love with You".
The song was mentioned in the opening lines of the Kenny Chesney song "I Go Back" ("Jack & Diane painted a picture of my life and my dreams").
"Jack and Diane" is also referenced in the Bowling For Soup song "Why Don't I Miss You?" ("Two young kids like Jack and Diane...").
Boyband LFO reference the song on "28 Days" ("...and it makes me wonder what kind of spell we're under. What would Jack and Diane do?"
Nancy Meyers' 2003 romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give starred film legends Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton; the theatrical posters and DVD cover capitalized on it with a simple design featuring a picture of each, with the two actors billed above the title as simply "Jack and Diane." Upon its release, it was almost impossible to find reviews or press coverage of the movie that didn't refer to it at some point as a "little movie about Jack and Diane."
In one episode of The Simpsons Weird Al parodys this song with Homer and Marge

Preceded by "Abracadabra" by Steve Miller Band	Billboard Hot 100 number one single October 2, 1982- October 23, 1982	Succeeded by "Who Can It Be Now?" by Men at Work