John Mellencamp Releases New Song, Exhibits Art

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John Mellencamp’s “Easy Target” art

John Mellencamp has released a new song, titled “Easy Target.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee premiered the song on The Katie Couric Interview for Yahoo News. “Easy Target” is described in a press release as “John’s reflection on the state of our country. An outspoken artist,” it says, Mellencamp “continues his journey to convey the truth through this passionate and plain-spoken song.”

“Easy Target” can be heard here.

In addition, Mellencamp unveiled a lyric video for “Easy Target” which premiered today on People.com. Watch the lyric video below.

According to the press release, Mellencamp has also been keeping himself busy working in a different artistic medium. “John continues to focus on another facet of his artistic expression: painting,” it says. “His style has progressed over the years as evidenced by several gallery shows and published portfolios, and in recent years he has increased his output by completing over 100 new works. His pieces were shown in 2012 at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville under the title ‘Nothing Like I Planned: The Art Of John Mellencamp’ and, more recently, at the Butler Institute of American Art in an exhibition titled ‘The Paintings of John Mellencamp.’”

The exhibit has traveled to the Museum of Art-DeLand, Florida, and Mellencamp’s art was showcased at the ACA Gallery in New York. “The unique instrumentation of his band and his poignant songs about everyday life in the American heartland are widely credited with being the forbearer of the Americana/No Depression genre of rural-inflected music,” the press release states. “An extraordinary collaboration performed by an ensemble cast of 15 actors and a four-piece live band, comprised of members of John Mellencamp’s band is The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, a musical with music and lyrics by John Mellencamp, a libretto by author Stephen King and production by T Bone Burnett. The show is being further developed in London, though King and Mellencamp are no longer as actively involved. Mellencamp continues his journey as the walking embodiment of heartland rock; passionate, plain-spoken, and a self-proclaimed rebel.”

Here are the lyrics for “Easy Target”:

Here’s an easy target
With just one quiet pop
Shot to hell anyway
No reason to stop
In the streets and the gutters
The cotton fields in this land
Here’s an easy target
With a trigger, in your hand

So, Black lives matter
Who we trying to kid
Here’s an easy target
Don’t matter, never did
Crosses burning
Such a long time ago
400 years and we still don’t, let it go

well let the poor be damned
And the easy targets too
All are created equal
Equally beneath me and you
Children crying
Under the time-keeping sun
The war on the easy targets
We won’t ever, get this done

Easy targets
All along the avenue
Living here in Sucker Town,
Baby me and you
Behind the bars
To keep each other apart
Easy targets
Our Country’s broken heart
Our Country’s broken heart

Watch the lyric video for John Mellencamp’s “Easy Target”