JOHN MELLENCAMP – HURTS SO GOOD

Publicació: abril de 1982

Llistes: EUA: núm. 2

Quan “Hurts So Good” va arribar a les ones radiofòniques el 1982, John Mellencamp —encara conegut aleshores com a John Cougar— era lluny de ser l’icona del heartland rock en què més tard es convertiria. Però aquest rocker fanfarró i amb aroma de blues ho va canviar tot. El single va escalar fins al núm. 2 del Billboard Hot 100, va passar unes sorprenents 16 setmanes dins del Top 10 —la permanència més llarga de qualsevol cançó de tota la dècada— i fins i tot va fer guanyar a Mellencamp el premi Grammy a la Millor Interpretació Vocal Rock Masculina el 1983. Tot i que va quedar bloquejada del primer lloc per “Eye of the Tiger” de Survivor, “Hurts So Good” es va convertir en un dels èxits definitoris més inesperats del rock de la primera era MTV.

La ironia darrere l’enorme èxit de la cançó és que Mellencamp mai no va pretendre que fos presa seriosament. La va escriure amb el seu amic d’infància i col·laborador de tota la vida George Green, una associació que donaria lloc a molts dels majors èxits de Mellencamp. Més tard, va admetre que l’expressió “hurt so good” li va sortir de la boca com una frase qualsevol, sense importància. A Green li va agradar, i tots dos van acabar la cançó gairebé immediatament. “La vaig escriure en tres minuts”, va explicar Mellencamp al L.A. Herald Examiner. “Vaig gargotejar la primera frase amb sabó a la porta de la dutxa. En realitat era només una broma. Crec que totes les coses bones probablement comencen com bromes.”

Però sota aquest humor hi havia alguna cosa més fosca. En el seu DVD Plain Spoken del 2018, Mellencamp va reflexionar sobre la inspiració real: el comportament cru i groller que veia als bars on tocava durant els seus primers anys en bandes. La cançó es va convertir en un comentari sobre les maneres desordenades i aspres amb què la gent es tracta mútuament — i sobre com ell es va adonar que no era tan diferent d’aquelles persones com pensava.

“Hurt So Good” va aparèixer en el moment perfecte: l’alba de MTV. Mellencamp ja havia estat gravant vídeos promocionals per a públics internacionals, però per a aquesta cançó —dirigida per Bruce Gowers— el pressupost es va ampliar de manera considerable. El resultat: cuir, cadenes, motos i actitud.

El videoclip jugava amb les insinuacions de S&M de la cançó amb un somriure còmplice, oferint a MTV exactament aquell tipus d’americanisme rebel que la cadena desitjava. La cadena la va programar intensament, ajudant Mellencamp a fer el salt a escala nacional, especialment a les regions rurals, on l’abast inicial del cable de MTV era més fort.

Avui dia, “Hurts So Good” és vista com un moment clau en l’evolució de Mellencamp: el pont entre la seva etapa inicial de pop-rock com a “Cougar” i la narrativa de heartland rock més madura que desenvoluparia després. Allò que va començar com una frase llançada a l’atzar i una broma de tres minuts es va convertir en un dels grans èxits del rock dels anys vuitanta, una cançó que va ajudar a catapultar Mellencamp al corrent principal de la música nord-americana.

JOHN MELLENCAMP - HURTS SO GOOD

Released: April 1982

Charts:  US: #2 

When “Hurts So Good” hit the airwaves in 1982, John Mellencamp—still known then as John Cougar—was far from the heartland-rock icon he would later become. But this swaggering, bluesy rocker changed everything. The single soared to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, spent an astonishing 16 weeks in the Top 10—the longest run of any song in the entire decade—and even earned Mellencamp a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male in 1983. Though it was held off the top spot by Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” “Hurts So Good” became one of the unlikely defining hits of early MTV-era rock.

The irony behind the song’s massive success is that Mellencamp never meant for it to be taken seriously. He wrote it with his childhood friend and longtime collaborator George Green, a partnership that would produce many of Mellencamp’s biggest hits. Mellencamp later admitted the phrase “hurt so good” came out of his mouth as a throwaway line. Green liked it, and the pair finished the song almost immediately. “I wrote it in three minutes,” Mellencamp told the L.A. Herald Examiner. “I scrawled the first line in soap on the shower door. It was really just a joke. I think all good things probably started as jokes.”

But underneath that humor was something darker. On his 2018 Plain Spoken DVD, Mellencamp reflected on the real inspiration: the raw, crude behavior he saw in the bars where he played in his early band days. The song became a commentary on the messy, rough-edged ways people treat each other—and how he realized he wasn’t as different from them as he thought.

“Hurts So Good” arrived at the perfect moment: the dawn of MTV. Mellencamp had already been making promotional videos for international audiences, but for this track—directed by Bruce Gowers—the budget expanded dramatically. The result: leather, chains, motorcycles, and attitude.

The video played into the song’s winking S&M implications, giving MTV precisely the kind of rebellious Americana it was hungry for. The network pushed it into heavy rotation, helping Mellencamp break through nationally, particularly in rural regions where MTV’s early cable reach was strongest.

“Hurts So Good” is now seen as a pivotal moment in Mellencamp’s evolution: the bridge between his earlier “Cougar” pop-rock identity and the more mature heartland storytelling he would become later. What began as a tossed-off phrase and a three-minute joke became one of the defining rock hits of the 1980s, a song that helped launch Mellencamp into the American mainstream.

KATE BUSH – CLOUDBUSTING

Publicació: 14 d’octubre de 1985

Llistes: Regne Unit: núm. 20

Amb “Cloudbusting”, publicat l’octubre de 1985 com a segon single de “Hounds of Love”, Kate Bush va oferir una de les cançons més inusuals i emocionalment potents de la seva carrera: un senzill pop arrelat no pas en el romanç ni en la introspecció, sinó en les memòries d’un nen que observa com l’Estat s’enduu el seu pare. Va arribar fins al núm. 20 de les llistes britàniques i, amb el temps, s’ha convertit en una de les obres més estimades de Bush.

La cançó s’inspira en “A Book of Dreams”, les memòries publicades el 1973 per Peter Reich, fill del psicoanalista austríac Wilhelm Reich. Bush va descobrir el llibre per casualitat i va quedar captivada pel relat des del punt de vista infantil sobre la meravella científica, la innocència i la pèrdua sobtada. Les teories controvertides de Reich sobre l’“energia orgònica” i el seu “cloudbuster” casolà —una màquina que creia que podia manipular l’atmosfera— proporcionen la imatge central de la cançó, però el nucli emocional de la història es troba en un altre lloc: l’esperança desesperada d’un nen que pot fer que torni a ploure i, així, fer tornar el seu pare.

Bush transmet aquesta devastació íntima des del primer vers —“I wake up crying” (Em desperto plorant)—, un cop sec que ella va descriure com el to punyent ideal per a una història sobre un amor abruptament trencat. L’arranjament de la cançó reflecteix la tensió emocional: un ritme propulsiu, com el d’una locomotora de vapor, que Bush va tenir dificultats a perfeccionar fins que ella i Del Palmer van construir un so de tren artificial utilitzant efectes casolans i el sintetitzador Fairlight. Aquest pols mecànic suggereix moviment cap endavant, però la lletra queda suspesa en el record, atrapada entre el consol del passat i el dol del present.

Si la cançó és cinematogràfica, el videoclip —dirigit per Julian Doyle— la va convertir en cinema literalment. Donald Sutherland interpreta Wilhelm Reich, mentre Bush assumeix el paper del jove Peter. El seu càsting va ser inicialment controvertit: Bush volia interpretar clarament el noi, mentre que Doyle defensava l’ambigüitat. El resultat final —una interpretació emotivament crua i amb una identitat de gènere difusa— es va convertir en un dels vídeos més icònics dels anys vuitanta. L’escena final, amb Reich emportat per la força i Bush/Peter corrent darrere seu sense poder fer res, continua gravada en la memòria cultural amb la força d’un curtmetratge.

La participació de Sutherland va estar apunt de no produir-se. L’actor va rebutjar inicialment el projecte fins que Bush es va presentar personalment a la seva porta a l’hotel Savoy per convèncer-lo. La conversa que van mantenir, segons recordaria més tard, el va convèncer que no es tractava d’un videoclip convencional: era un homenatge, una obra d’art i un acte d’empatia. Els seus records vius del rodatge —inclosa una advertència a Bush perquè no es fumés un porro al plató— han passat a formar part de la llegenda de la cançó.

“Cloudbusting” no destaca només com un dels punts àlgids de “Hounds of Love”, sinó com una de les narratives musicals més colpidores de Kate Bush. És una rara cançó pop que uneix biografia, mitologia i memòria infantil —una exploració de la meravella i la pèrdua embolcallada en una melodia inoblidable. La seva frase, “Jo simplement sé que passarà alguna cosa bona”, continua sent una de les més esperançadores de Bush: una creença desafiant en la llum, fins i tot quan els núvols s’acumulen al cel.

KATE BUSH - CLOUDBUSTING

Released: October 14, 1985

Charts:  UK: #20    

With “Cloudbusting,” released in October 1985 as the second single from “Hounds of Love”, Kate Bush delivered one of the most unusual, emotionally songs of her career—a pop single rooted not in romance or introspection, but in the memoir of a child watching his father be taken away by the state. Peaking at No. 20 on the UK charts, the song has since become one of Bush’s most beloved works.

The track takes its inspiration from “A Book of Dreams”, the 1973 memoir by Peter Reich, son of Austrian psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich. Bush, who discovered the book by accident, was captivated by the child’s-eye account of scientific wonder, innocence and sudden loss. Reich’s controversial theories about “orgone energy” and his homemade “cloudbuster”—a machine he believed could manipulate the atmosphere—provided the song’s central image, but the emotional heart of the story lies elsewhere: a boy’s desperate hope that he can make it rain again, and thus bring his father back.

Bush channels that intimate devastation from the first line—“I wake up crying”—a jolt she described as setting a pungent note for a story about love abruptly severed. The song’s arrangement mirrors the emotional tension: a propulsive, steam-engine rhythm that Bush struggled to perfect until she and Del Palmer constructed an artificial train sound using homemade effects and the Fairlight synthesizer. The mechanical pulse suggests forward motion, but the lyric remains suspended in memory, caught between past reassurance and present grief.

If the song is cinematic, the music video—directed by Julian Doyle—turned it into literal cinema. Donald Sutherland plays Wilhelm Reich, with Bush taking on the role of young Peter. Her casting was initially controversial; Bush wanted to portray the boy outright, while Doyle urged ambiguity. The final result—a gender-blurring, emotionally raw performance—became one of the most iconic videos of the 1980s. Its closing scene, as Reich is taken away and Bush/Peter runs helplessly after him, still lingers in the cultural memory with the force of a short film.

Sutherland’s involvement almost didn’t happen. The actor initially declined until Bush personally appeared at his door at the Savoy Hotel to persuade him. Their conversation, he later recalled, convinced him that the project was far from a typical music video: it was a tribute, a piece of art, and a work of empathy. His vivid memories of filming—including cautioning Bush about smoking a joint on set—have since become part of the song’s lore.

“Cloudbusting” stands not just as a highlight of “Hounds of Love”, but as one of Bush’s most compelling musical narratives. It is a rare pop song that bridges biography, mythology, and childhood memory—an exploration of wonder and loss wrapped in an unforgettable melody. Its refrain, “I just know that something good is gonna happen,” remains one of Bush’s most hopeful lines, a defiant belief in light even as the clouds gather overhead.

 BON JOVI - WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME

Released: March 27, 2006

Chart Peak: US: #23  UK: #5 

Written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, and produced alongside John Shanks “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” was released in March 2006 as the second single from the album “Have a Nice Day”, reaffirming Bon Jovi’s connection to their blue-collar roots while expanding their sound into unexpected territory. The song became a trans-genre success, charting on both rock and country radio.

The original rock version reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 in the United Kingdom, while a duet version featuring Jennifer Nettles of the country duo Sugarland topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart — making Bon Jovi the first rock band ever to achieve a No. 1 single on the country chart.

At its core, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” is a celebration of staying true to one’s roots. For Jon Bon Jovi and his bandmates, that means New Jersey — the place that shaped their identity and career. The song’s message is universal: no matter how far life takes you, “home” is where you began, and it’s always waiting for your return.

In interviews, Jon Bon Jovi described the track as a tribute to loyalty and gratitude, explaining that it was written as a thank you to those who had supported the band over the years. The song became an unofficial anthem for the band’s community-building initiatives, including partnerships with Habitat for Humanity. 

Two distinct versions of the song appear on “Have a Nice Day”. The album version, a straightforward rock anthem, found success on the Adult Contemporary charts. The country crossover version emerged from a creative experiment that initially involved country star Keith Urban. Urban’s collaboration didn’t materialize due to vocal similarities and stylistic mismatches, so Bon Jovi turned to Nettles, whose distinctive tone gave the song a fresh emotional dimension. The result was an unexpected country hit — and a breakout moment for Sugarland, whose debut album “Twice the Speed of Life” was repackaged with the single and sold in Target stores nationwide.

Two music videos accompanied the release, each reflecting a different side of the song’s message. The country version, directed by Jon’s brother Anthony M. Bongiovi, features members of Habitat for Humanity and Bon Jovi’s own Philadelphia Soul Arena Football team building homes for low-income families. The rock version, directed by Jeff Labbé, offers a more whimsical take. Filmed partly during Bon Jovi’s concert at the Glendale Arena in Arizona and later around Los Angeles, it features a man in a dog costume wandering through city streets — a playful metaphor for belonging and acceptance in an urban world.

KATE BUSH - ARMY DREAMERS

Released: September 22, 1980

Charts:  UK: #16 

“Army Dreamers” was released in 1980 as the third and final single from Kate Bush’s album “Never for Ever”. Marking a stylistic shift for Bush, the song is arranged as a waltz—an unusual choice for a pop single at the time—and it reached the UK Top 20 in October 1980. During the Gulf War in 1991, “Army Dreamers” was among nearly 70 songs temporarily banned from BBC airplay due to its anti-war themes. 

The song is written from the perspective of a mother grieving her young adult son, who has died during military manoeuvres rather than in active combat. Through her voice, Bush explores the quiet tragedies of peacetime military deaths and the emotional weight carried by parents who question whether they could have prevented their child from enlisting. The narrative reflects on how young people with limited opportunities may end up in the military simply because they see no other path, only to become casualties in a system that offers little guidance or support.

Although Bush sings in an Irish accent, she clarified in a 1980 interview that the song isn’t specifically about the conflict in Northern Ireland. She chose the accent for its traditional storytelling quality, noting that Irish folk songs often convey vulnerability and emotional depth. She also referenced the BFPO (British Forces Post Office) in the lyrics to make it clear the topic extended beyond Ireland, touching on places like Germany, where young soldiers were sometimes killed in training exercises. Her aim was not to criticize the military itself, but to mourn the senselessness of these preventable deaths.

The music video opens with a striking image: Bush blinks in time with the sound of a gun being cocked. Dressed in camouflage, she cradles a young boy as chaos erupts around her. Throughout the video she reaches toward the child as symbolic combat scenes unfold.

JOHN MELLENCAMP - CHERRY BOMB

Released: October 24, 1987

Charts:  US: #8  

“Cherry Bomb” was released in October 1987 as the second single from “The Lonesome Jubilee”. Backed with the B-side “Shama Lama Ding Dong,” the song brought a warm, reflective tone to the album’s run of hard-edged social commentary. Mellencamp crafted it as a loving tribute to his teenage years in rural Indiana, where life revolved around friends, music, and the intoxicating thrill of young love. 

“Cherry Bomb” features an unusually rich vocal tapestry. Alongside Mellencamp’s lead vocal, the song’s second verse weaves in voices from Crystal Taliefero, Toby Myers, and Mike Wanchic. Mellencamp later explained that the inspiration came from Sly and the Family Stone, whose rotating lead vocals helped define the sound of his youth.

The heart of “Cherry Bomb” lies in its yearning for a simpler time: “That’s when a sport was a sport”—a line often misheard—captures the purity of adolescence before life’s complexities intruded. Mellencamp isn’t just reminiscing; he’s reminding listeners that the things that mattered most in those teenage years—laughter, friendship, love—remain just as vital decades later.

Though the club in the song is fictional, Mellencamp based it on real teen clubs he visited in small-town Indiana—places like The Last Exit, The Scene, and The Whiteland Barn. Many were housed in church basements, where the rules of 1960s society relaxed just enough for teenagers to dance, press close, and feel the sparks of young desire. A “cherry bomb” is a type of firecracker, but Mellencamp chose the name as a metaphor for the explosive hormonal energy of those nights.

Much of what he sings about is autobiographical. Growing up in the rural outskirts of Seymour, Indiana, Mellencamp lived with his brothers in a cramped basement, inventing their own entertainment and trouble. He recalls street fights as a kind of adrenaline sport—until a particularly brutal loss forced him to rethink the pastime.

The song’s music video pairs its nostalgic theme with a quietly powerful message. It features an interracial couple dancing intimately near a jukebox while Mellencamp dances alone. Other scenes cut to Mellencamp and his band performing on a beach, interlaced with vintage footage. Having played in an interracial band for years, Mellencamp wanted to underline the power of music to dissolve barriers and bring people together. The video subtly but deliberately challenges racial norms of the era.