Released: May 9, 1989
Songwriter: John Mellencamp
Producer: John Mellencamp
Is this your life, Jackie Brown?
Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town
Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown?
This pretty little girl
In the worn out clothes
That have been hand-me down
Is this your wife, Jackie Brown?
With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown
Is this your family, Jackie Brown?
Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream
And giving the world more than it gave you
What ugly truths freedom brings
And it hasn't been very kind to you
Is this your life, Jackie Brown?
Is this your meal, Jackie Brown?
Barely enough, I've seen people throw away more than this out
Is this your home, Jackie Brown?
This three room shack
With no running water
And the bathroom out back
Is this your grave, Jackie Brown?
This little piece of limestone that says another desperate man took himself out
Is this your dream, Jackie Brown?
Going nowhere and nowhere fast
We shame ourselves to watch people like this live
But who gives a damn about Jackie Brown?
Just another lazy man who couldn't take what was his
One helluva life Jackie Brown
Forevermore, Jackie Brown
Amen and amen - Jackie Brown?
Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town
Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown?
This pretty little girl
In the worn out clothes
That have been hand-me down
Is this your wife, Jackie Brown?
With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown
Is this your family, Jackie Brown?
Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream
And giving the world more than it gave you
What ugly truths freedom brings
And it hasn't been very kind to you
Is this your life, Jackie Brown?
Is this your meal, Jackie Brown?
Barely enough, I've seen people throw away more than this out
Is this your home, Jackie Brown?
This three room shack
With no running water
And the bathroom out back
Is this your grave, Jackie Brown?
This little piece of limestone that says another desperate man took himself out
Is this your dream, Jackie Brown?
Going nowhere and nowhere fast
We shame ourselves to watch people like this live
But who gives a damn about Jackie Brown?
Just another lazy man who couldn't take what was his
One helluva life Jackie Brown
Forevermore, Jackie Brown
Amen and amen - Jackie Brown?
more tracks from the album
On the Rural Route 7609
- The Real Life
- Your Life Is Now
- Don’t Need This Body
- Sweet Evening Breeze
- The Full Catastrophe
- My Aeroplane
- Troubled Land
- Someday the Rains Will Fall
- Theo and Weird Henry
- Women Seem
- Between a Laugh and a Tear
- If I Die Sudden
- Peaceful World
- To Washington
- Colored Lights
- The World Don’t Bother Me None
- Jack and Diane (Writing Demo)
- Jenny at 16
- Rain on the Scarecrow
- Jim Crow
- Big Daddy of Them All
- What If I Came Knocking
- Longest Days
- Sugar Marie
- Mr. Bellows
- Deep Blue Heart
- Love and Happiness
- Someday
- Forgiveness
- To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)
- For the Children
- Freedom’s Road
- Our Country (Alternative Version)
- Jim Crow
- Thank You
- Ghost Towns Along the Highway
- Jackie Brown
- Cherry Bomb
- Jack & Diane
- L.U.V.
- County Fair
- When Jesus Left Birmingham
- Country Gentleman
- Rural Route
- Void in My Heart
- Just Like You
- Rodeo Clown
- A Ride Back Home
- Authority Song
- Grandma’s Theme
- Death Letter
- Young Without Lovers
- Pink Houses
From the albums
- Big Daddy (1989)
- Rough Harvest (1999)
- Words & Music: John Mellencamp’s Greatest Hits (2004)
- On the Rural Route 7609 (2010)
John Mellencamp popular songs
- Jack & Diane
- Pink Houses
- Hurts So Good
- Small Town
- Check It Out
- Authority Song
- Rain on the Scarecrow
- I Need a Lover
- Cherry Bomb
- For the Children
- Farewell Angelina
- R. Gang
- To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)
- Worn Out Nervous Condition
- Yours Forever
- No One Cares About Me
- Forgiveness
- L.U.V.
- This May Not Be the End of the World
- County Fair
- Goodnight
- Young Without Lovers
- Another Sunny Day 12/25
- Serious Business