JM Issues Statement on New Jack & Diane Film

[walktall2010]

This is a little ditty about John Mellencamp's vaguely annoyed reaction to Bradley Rust Gray's Jack & Diane. If you were born after the 1980s, you might not know that Gray's "werewolf-lesbian-psycho-drama," as it has been described, takes its title from Mellencamp's giganto-1982 number-one hit and little else. (The National Endowment for the Arts chose the tune as one of the "Songs of the Century," as in 20th, in 2001.) Mellencamp's song is about a teenaged boy and girl living the so-slow-it-hurts Midwestern life of sucking down chili dogs outside the Tastee Freeze. Gray's movie is about, well, two lesbians, one of whom happens to be a werewolf.

With the movie now on VOD, Mellencamp, whose nickname is "Little Bastard," apparently has been fielding a lot of questions about how his song ended up as the title of a movie — both use an ampersand — that has nothing to do with said tune, and on Monday afternoon issued an irritated sounding statement via his spokesman Bob Merlis. "You don't hear my song in the film, and I played no part in suggesting or offering this title. It's most apparent that the lead characters were named with the hope that the familiar title might resonate in some people's minds," Mellencamp said in the statement. "I guess that's OK to do, strictly from a legal perspective, but riding on someone else's coattails and having a moral compass is left up to each individual."

Merlis explained that Mellencamp "is not making a value judgment on the film. I don't believe he's even seen it," he said. "He's just wondering why this particular combination of names was chosen, with an ampersand joining them, for the title. It does hearken back to his song."

http://movieline.com/2012/10/01/john-mellencamp-comments-on-jack-diane-movie-title-bradley-rust-gray/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral

[jakesmom204]

Another one of those things, like politicians using songs, that doesn't make sense to me. If you are going to so blatantly use someone else's work for your own purposes, I would think you would at least ask permission or give that person a heads up. Not like it's a quick mention in a story or a few seconds of a soundbite.

[mellenq]

No wonder JM spends so much time painting. 

[geegee]

yeah its funny how people take advantage of another person. however, john could do something about this if he really wanted to.

[sheilafarmer]

John should do something more. He always made a stand for anything that is unfair and his song or title that so many people can relate to has been subjected to Hollywood BS. They think they can do no wrong and get away with it.

[NewYorker]

In showbiz: manners and courtesy are optional. They are aprreciated, but optional.


NY

[geegee]

In showbiz: manners and courtesy are optional. They are aprreciated, but optional.


NY

maybe in some cases. however in this one the people involved didnt ask johns permission. and why john you are letting this happen is beyond me and not doing something about it. dont sound like you john. wheres that fighting spirit that i and others have seen in you so often? please dont roll over and play dead.

[cge333]

I understand John's frustration as Jack and Diane clearly has name recognition for 10's of millions of people, but other than being frustrated I don't think there is much legal recourse here.

I don't believe you can copywright song titles, album titles etc.  Case in point when Garth Brooks (or his alias) released a album called Scarecrow.

That being said, Jack and Diane is just a classsic, classic song.  I swear everytime I hear it I get as much or more enjoyment from it as I did the first few times I heard it.

[Mellenfan71]

maybe in some cases. however in this one the people involved didnt ask johns permission

.
  
 legally they didn't have too......mk
 
 

dont sound like you john. wheres that fighting spirit that i and others have seen in you so often? please dont roll over and play dead.

Fighting spirit? lol omg! What, you want him to sue?? You cant copyright song titles. He does not own the phrase "jack and Diane". All he can legally do is show frustration.....

[sheilafarmer]

But didn't John give the politicians a "talking too" about using his songs for their campaign and they didn't do it?

[geegee]

maybe in some cases. however in this one the people involved didnt ask johns permission

.
  
 legally they didn't have too......mk
 
 

dont sound like you john. wheres that fighting spirit that i and others have seen in you so often? please dont roll over and play dead.

Fighting spirit? lol omg! What, you want him to sue?? You cant copyright song titles. He does not own the phrase "jack and Diane". All he can legally do is show frustration.....

mellenfan common courtesy in wanting to use someone elses material is not too much to ask for. and that is what they should of done with john. and john deserves that kind of respect from others who are in the entertainment business or any other kind of business that would like to use what he created.

[geegee]

But didn't John give the politicians a "talking too" about using his songs for their campaign and they didn't do it?

yes shiela that did happen. however i forgot who it was. but i suppose that perhaps tonyb or walktall can tell us who that may of been since they are more knowledgeable bout that subject. tonyb or walktall can you clue us in about that?

[Mellenfan71]

maybe in some cases. however in this one the people involved didnt ask johns permission

.
  
 legally they didn't have too......mk
 
 

dont sound like you john. wheres that fighting spirit that i and others have seen in you so often? please dont roll over and play dead.

Fighting spirit? lol omg! What, you want him to sue?? You cant copyright song titles. He does not own the phrase "jack and Diane". All he can legally do is show frustration.....

mellenfan common courtesy in wanting to use someone elses material is not too much to ask for. and that is what they should of done with john. and john deserves that kind of respect

I'm confused, Please explain what you want JM to do to the filmakers? Sadly Geegee, its Not illegal to be impolite or disrespectful to somebody ,right?

[geegee]

maybe in some cases. however in this one the people involved didnt ask johns permission

.
  
 legally they didn't have too......mk
 
 

dont sound like you john. wheres that fighting spirit that i and others have seen in you so often? please dont roll over and play dead.

Fighting spirit? lol omg! What, you want him to sue?? You cant copyright song titles. He does not own the phrase "jack and Diane". All he can legally do is show frustration.....

mellenfan common courtesy in wanting to use someone elses material is not too much to ask for. and that is what they should of done with john. and john deserves that kind of respect

I'm confused, Please explain what you want JM to do to the filmakers? Sadly Geegee, its Not illegal to be impolite or disrespectful to somebody ,right?

mellenfan you are too funny  you always make my day.  youre one of my favorite people on this forum. you have a good one

[oberturn]

He may not own the words but that is all I think about when I hear Jack and Diane.  I am sure that I will break into singing it if I ever those names together.