Album Details

Release Date: January 23rd, 2007 on Universal Republic/UMe

Buy Online: Amazon - iTunes


ALBUM CREDITS:

John Mellencamp: Vocals, Guitar
Dane Clark: Drums, Percussion
John Gunnell: Bass
Troye Kinnett: Keyboards
Miriam Sturm: Violin
Andy York: Guitars, Vocals, Flute-a-phone, Vocal Arrangements

GUESTS
Joan Baez: Vocal Duet On "Jim Crow"
Little Big Town: Backing Vocals
Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Roads, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook appear courtesy of Equity Music Group


PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Recorded in the Garage June-August 2006 by: Paul Mahern, Mike Stucker and Scott Davis
Additional recording September-October 2006 at Belmont Mall by Don Smith and Jun Murakawa
"Our Country" recorded by Eddie Kramer August 28, 2006, assisted by Rick Fritz
Mixed by: Don Smith at Belmont Mall October-December 2006, assisted by Jun Murakawa
Studio Coordination and additional percussion: Scott Davis
Mastered by: George Marino at Sterling Sound
Management: Hoffman Entertainment
Art Direction: George Corsillo / Design Monsters
Photos: Kurt Markus, Elaine Mellencamp
Library of Congress: LC-DIC-ppmsca-08102& LC-DIC-ppmsca-04297 
Police Escort Photo: Harry Sandler
Devil Drawings: George Corsillo
Production Manager: Adam Abrams
Product Manager: Michael Kachko

Thanks to Doug Morris, Bruce Resnikoff, Monte Lipman, and everyone at Universal Music Group

ALBUM LYRICS:

"Someday"

Written by John Mellencamp

Someday, someday
But I don’t know when
Someday, someday
But I don’t know when

Brother brother oh brother
Why are you walking down this road here
This is the road of madness and trouble
And it’s paved with intolerance, ignorance and fear

Someday, someday
But I don’t know when
Someday, someday
But I don’t know when

Drinking our liquor from a paper cup
Mean to each other
Enough is enough
I look at your face
You look just like me
Hey brother, I’m not your enemy

Someday, someday
But I don’t know when
Someday, someday
But I don’t know when

How many times can a spirit be broken
For this is the kingdom of heaven we’re given
Good fortune will come to those who create peace
For those are the ones that will walk in heaven

Someday, someday
But I don’t know when
Someday, someday
But I don’t know when

Someday, someday
But I don’t know when
Someday, someday
But I don’t know when



"Ghost Towns Along The Highway"

Written by John Mellencamp

Ghost towns along the highway
Guess no one wants to live around here any more
Ghost towns along the highway
Listen to the wind blow through the
Cracks on the boarded-up doors

But our love keeps on moving
To the nearest faraway place
I guess no one believes in
Ghost towns along the highway
Ghost towns along the main highway

Perhaps it’s the crossroads of another time
Maybe it’s too lonely out here
But I can hear the voices of misery cryin’
Some day these highways will all disappear

But our love keeps on moving
And the wind keeps blowin’ us around
I guess no one believes in
Ghost towns along the highway
Ghost towns along the main highway

Ghost towns along the highway
So many people used to call this place home
Ghost towns along the highway
I guess folks they’re just bound to roam

But our love keeps on moving
To the nearest faraway place
I guess no one believes in
Ghost towns along the highway
Ghost towns along the main highway



"The Americans"

Written by John Mellencamp

I like my heroes
To be honest and strong
I wear t-shirts
And blue jeans
I try to understand
All the cultures of this world
I’m an American from the Midwest

When I speak
I have a southern drawl
I mind my manners most of the time
When you come down here
Stop and stay hello
I’m an American from south of the Mason Dixon line

I’m an American, I’m an American
I respect you and your point of view
I’m an American, I’m an American
And I wish you good luck with whatever you do

I start my day
And I’m ready to work
I’m responsible
And I like to get things done
If you ever need some help
Come and look my way
‘Cause I try to be here for everyone

I’m an American, I’m an American
I respect you and your point of view
I’m an American, I’m an American
And I wish you good luck with whatever you do

They call me the land of opportunity
With our agriculture
And beautiful movie stars
We can turn our dreams
Into a way of life
So be happy and be who you are

I’m an American, I’m an American
I respect you and your point of view
I’m an American, I’m an American
And I wish you good luck with whatever you do



"Forgiveness"

Written by John Mellencamp

When I think of all the wrong I’ve done
I can’t believe it’s me that I’m talking about
I bet the same goes for you

There is plenty of goodness in this world
I hope some day to find it all
I hope the same goes for you
I hope the same goes for you

Thank God for forgiveness
I don’t know how else we could get along
Without forgiveness
Without forgiveness

I’d like to say I’m sorry now
I hope this message is not too late
I bet the same goes for you
I hope the same goes for you

Thank God for forgiveness
I don’t know how else we could get along
Without forgiveness
Without forgiveness

If there is peace of mind at all
I’d like to know it someday
I bet the same goes for you
I hope the same goes for you
I hope the same goes for you

Thank God for forgiveness
I don’t know how else we could get along
Without forgiveness
Without forgiveness



"Freedom’s Road"

Written by John Mellencamp

I’m navigating my way down Freedom’s Road
Trying to make my way back home
I got my foot to the floor
But she must need bleeding
This car just don’t want to roll
Freedom’s Road must be under construction
Sometimes you wonder what kind of freedom they’re talking
If you’re here looking for the devil
You’ll find him on Freedom’s Road

Freedom’s Road, Freedom’s Road
If you want to take a ride
Well you’ve got to pay the toll
Freedom’s Road, Freedom’s Road
If you’re looking for the devil
He’s out there on Freedom’s Road

Sometimes there’s rape sometimes there’ll be murder
Sometimes just darkness everywhere
No passing signs and barbed wire fences
Misinformation but no one cares
Freedom’s Road can get narrow
No one wants to know you
If there’s no pork in your barrel
If you’re here looking for the devil
He’s out there on Freedom’s Road

Freedom’s Road, Freedom’s Road
If you want to take a ride
Well you’ve got to pay the toll
Freedom’s Road, Freedom’s Road
If you’re looking for the devil
He’s out there on Freedom’s Road

You can drop your bombs
You can beat the people senseless
But that won’t get you anywhere
Hide your agendas behind public consensus
And say that this world just ain’t fair
Freedom’s Road is a promise to the people
You’ll never fool us now
With all your lying and cheating
If you’re here wanting a crown in heaven
It’s out there on Freedom’s Road

Freedom’s Road, Freedom’s Road
If you want to take a ride
Well you’ve got to pay the toll
Freedom’s Road, Freedom’s Road
If you’re looking for the devil
He’s out there on Freedom’s Road



"Jim Crow"

Written by John Mellencamp

Look what Jim Crow’s done and gone
Went and changed his name
Don’t know what he’s going by these days
But he’s still actin’ the same
You can call it what you want to
But it’s still a minstrel show
You can call it what you want to
But it’s still Jim Crow

Jim’s probably laying in this morning
Hummin’ as he sleeps
Feeling the glow of another man’s woman
As she lies beneath his feet
Enjoyin’ the cool morning breeze
Smellin’ flowers as he goes
Looks like he’s changed his ways
Ah, but he’s still Jim Crow

Jim will spend the rest of the day
Playin’ in some big hotel
It’s an old song with very bad rhymes
But he does it so well
He’ll make some new acquaintances
When he’s out on his evening stroll
It’s amazing that after all this time
So many love
Big Jim Crow



"Our Country"

Written by John Mellencamp

Well I can stand beside
Ideals I think are right
And I can stand beside
The idea to stand and fight
I do believe
There’s a dream for everyone
This is our country

There’s room enough here
For science to live
And there’s room enough here
For religion to forgive
And try to understand
All the people of this land
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

That poverty could be
Just another ugly thing
And bigotry would be
Seen only as obscene
And the ones that run this land
Help the poor and common man
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

The dream is still alive
Some day it will come true
And this country it belongs
To folks like me and you
So let the voice of freedom
Sing out through this land
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country



"Rural Route"

Written by John Mellencamp

Little girl disappeared and gone
From the rural route
Seven days missing something’s wrong
On the rural route
Amber alert all over the nation
From the rural route
Two lane highway full of cops
On the rural route
Rural route

Police dogs howl from wire cages
On the rural route
Last seen leavin’ a trailer
On the rural route
Just walkin’ home alone
On the rural route
Newspaper prints her fifth grade picture
From the rural route
Rural route

Air stinks of crystal meth
On the rural route
Some one predicts a young girl’s death
On the rural route
Father refuses to answer any questions
From the rural route
The man he runs around with comes up missing
Off the rural route
Rural route

Twenty miles away by a lake
On the rural route
Girl’s body’s found, it’s been raped
By the rural route
Twenty-eight year old friend of the father
Arrested on the rural route
Father traded his daughter for favors
On the rural route
Rural route
Rural route

Here’s my prayer loud and clear
From the rural route
Forgive us Lord, get us out of here
Off this rural route
Oh merciful Father, show us the will
Here on the rural route
Give us the mercy for the drug-addicted
And the mentally ill
On the rural route



"My Aeroplane"

Written by John Mellencamp

Wish I had an aeroplane
I’d fly away up yonder
‘Til I could write me the perfect song
It’d be a song for the people
It’d be a song that everybody could sing along

If you needed a ride
You’d have one
If you needed a friend
I’d be your best one
If you got afraid
I’d take away all your pain
And I’d let you fly
In my aeroplane

If this song could spread happiness
I’d sing it long and loud
All over this land
I’d teach this song to the troubled
And we’d sing it for anybody
Who needed a helping hand

If you needed a ride
You’d have one
If you needed a friend
I’d be your best one
If you got afraid
I’d take away all your pain
And I’d let you fly
In my aeroplane

If you had a wish
Well I wonder what in the world
Your wish might be
Would it be a wish of freedom
And a joyous noise
That could ring out from all eternity

If you needed a ride
You’d have one
If you needed a friend
I’d be your best one
If you got afraid
I’d take away all your pain
And I’d let you fly – high
In my aeroplane



"Heaven Is A Lonely Place"

Written by John Mellencamp

Barry Barry, he’s with Mary
Look like they could fly
Grandma’s off her medicine
I think that I know why
People standing naked
Outside in the yard
Power ball slot machine
Looking for the winning card
Tryin’ to get my mind straight now
It’s a little bit narrow but I know somehow
Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steal
But you know thou always will

Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Takin’ ‘em down
Board by board

Cheap vulgar innocence
Wears a wedding dress
Homophobic hypocrites
Scarin’ us half to death
Journalistic lap dogs
Can’t seem to find the truth
Crystal meth with the paymaster
Sippin’ on a hundred proof
Ain’t you so hip now
You sure look cool
Wonder what the price will be
For actin’ like such a fool

Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Takin’ ‘em down
Board by board

See the people cryin’
See the people cryin’
See the people cryin’
See the people cryin’

Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Takin’ ‘em down
Board by board

So I guess it’ll never end
Brother hell enemies friends
The fire’s burning out of control
In my soul tonight
There’s just no hope for me
Might as well nail me to a tree
Here I am just another case
Who cannot see the light
I guess I can’t take a hint
Of what was said and what was meant
Somehow we always come out blind
When it comes to our hearts

Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Heaven is a lonely place
They’re taking down those golden gates
Takin’ ‘em down
Board by board

See the people cryin’
See the people cryin’
See the people cryin’
See the people cryin’



"Rodeo Clown"

Written by John Mellencamp

Well there’s blood on the hands of the rich politicians
Red is the color of the sand and the sea
Blood on the hands of an arrogant nation
Who start all the bleeding over their policies

So she blamed it all on whispering secrets
She blamed it on the moon and the sky
She thought she broke the back of the city
She thought she thought she knew she had lied

She changed direction with the gas fires burning
Racing for protection what could she possibly find
Children with no legs out on the highways crawling
Looking for an angel but they ran out of time

She had blood on her face so she had to get even
She hemorrhaged and bled all over the land
There’s blood on the hands of those that keep silent
Who won’t count the bodies dead in the sand

She changed direction with the gas fires burning
Racing for protection what could she possibly find
Children with no legs out on the highways crawling
Looking for an angel but they ran out of time

So cut off the heads and the hands will stop bleeding
Pull out the tongues the house will surely fall down
Blood on the mouths of all lies and liars

The bloody red eyes
The bloody red eyes
The bloody red eyes
The bloody red eyes
The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown
The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown
The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown
The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown

She changed direction with the gas fires burning
Racing for protection what could she possibly find
Children with no legs out on the highways crawling
Looking for an angel but they ran out of time

Well, there’s blood in the streets from the lies and liars
The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown