John Mellencamp “Jackie Brown” charted

Jackie Brown John (Cougar) Mellencamp

Writer(s): John Mellencamp (see lyrics here) Released: July 1989 First Charted: July 8, 1989 Peak: 48 US, 45 CB, 31 AC, 82 CW, 20 AR, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1.3 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Big Daddy was the fifth consecutive top-ten album for John Mellencamp. It was his sixth consecutive million seller, although one could see Mellencamp’s commercial appeal starting to wane slightly as the previous four albums had all been multi-platinum releases propelled by at least two top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100. “Pop Singer,” the lead single from Big Daddy, peaked at #15 and the follow-up, “Jackie Brown,” didn’t even reach the top 40. While it wasn’t a big hit, Mellencamp said it “might be one of the best songs I ever wrote.” SF It also became a fan favorite SF and signalled the direction Mellencamp would go with his music in the 21st century – mellower, more acoustic-based, music which weighed heavily on social commentary. The titular character “is a destitute man who will never escape poverty.” SF It crafts “images of the hardships faced by those living in poverty” WK while also reflecting on the harsh view some take toward the poor. One lyric says, “Who gives a damn about Jackie Brown? Just another lazy man who couldn’t take what was his.” Mellencamp told Rolling Stone that he wrote the song about “me disguised as a poor guy - not as a guy that had been successful and pretty much lost everything, which in my mind I had, because I’d lost my daughters.” SF He was referring to his failed second marriage to Victoria Granucci, who had recently left their home in Indiana and took their daughters with her. SF Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for John Mellencamp SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia page on Big Daddy Related Links: First posted 6/15/2023.