Can you read this question: whatever you are smoking, are you willing to share? 

Has anyone ever seen or heard of Mellencamp's explanation of "When Jesus Left Birmingham?" In preparation for an upcoming concert, I sent my 60-year-old brother Mellencamp's "Words & Music" greatest hits collection. My brother, a teacher, wrote back: "The song I found most interesting, though, was 'When Jesus Left Birmingham' - probably because I'm not quite sure of his message, although I have a few ideas.  However interesting, I find its lyrics too mysterious and challenging to fully decipher.  I think the song's about the bombings of black churches in Alabama decades ago, yet there seems to be more there that I can't wrap my mind around. Of all of his songs, this is the one I think I'd most like to sit down and question him about." Any comments?

The original version of "Teardrops Will Fall" came out in 1959, when Mellencamp was just 8 years old. Any idea of whether he liked the song as a kid or why he decided to record it?

Here is what the original sounded like:

http://www.bigbobh.net/dowop/dicky.htm
 

Had the pleasure of meeting John at a New York City radio station interview in a popular dance club in the morning. John had a meet and greet after the radio interview. It surprised many of us, who brought nothing for him to sign. So I just handed him my pocket calendar to sign. He must have thought I was a dork! Another guy who was caught offguard  had a better thing to sign: his pack of cigarettes.