JOHN MELLENCAMP - AUTHORITY SONG

Released: March 1984

Charts:  US: #15 

Released as a single from “Uh-Huh” in 1984, “Authority Song” climbed to No. 15 on the U.S. charts. Inspired by the spirit of classic rock rebellion, Mellencamp once described it succinctly: “our new version of ‘I Fought the Law.’” It’s a punchy, self-aware nod to the futility—and necessity—of resisting the forces that try to keep you in line.

At the heart of the song is one of Mellencamp’s most quoted lines: “growing up leads to growing old and then to dying.” It shows the worldview that fueled much of his early music: life is short, authority is oppressive, and you should push back while you still have the fight in you.

But the track also came from a personal place. Mellencamp had spent much of his early career wrestling with authority, from his small-town origins in Seymour, Indiana—where people told him fame was impossible—to the rigid expectations of the New York music industry. Ironically, despite the song’s claim that “authority always wins,” Mellencamp himself is the counterexample. He ignored naysayers, fought with labels, and eventually emerged with a sound and identity entirely his own.

When Mellencamp moved to New York, he discovered that signing a record deal didn’t make him special—labels were signing dozens of good-looking young rockers in hopes that one would hit. Most artists conformed to industry demands. Mellencamp didn’t.

Still, in his early years, he experimented with several commercial personas: Johnny Cougar, then John Cougar, and by the time “Uh-Huh” arrived, the hybrid name “John Cougar Mellencamp” appeared for the first time. The album marked a turning point: he was still writing hits, but loading them with more narrative and nuance, paving the way for the socially conscious songwriting of “Scarecrow” and “The Lonesome Jubilee”. “Authority Song” fit this moment perfectly—energetic enough for radio, but laced with sharp commentary.

By the time “Authority Song” was released, Mellencamp was riding high from the success of “Jack & Diane” and “Hurts So Good,” with heavy support from the newly dominant MTV. Paradoxically, he despised making music videos. And for “Authority Song,” the label paired him with a director who felt exactly the same way: Jay Dubin. Dubin later said: “It just has to look nice and exist for a few short minutes. There’s no magic in it.” The result was a striking black-and-white video showing Mellencamp as a boxer stepping into the ring without gloves—symbolic bravado without a fight. He never throws a punch, yet the video communicates everything the song represents: a man who keeps showing up, refusing to back down.