John Mellencamp Appears In Obama Radio Ads in Indiana

As if demanding John McCain to stop using his music wasn't enough, John Mellencamp has lent his voice to a radio commercial in Indiana throwing more support behind Obama. "I've seen a lot of small towns, and now I'm seeing small towns across America dying," Mellencamp says in the ad, adding that eight years of George W. Bush has made it a tough time to be a Hoosier, while John McCain will only bring "more of the same." Mellencamp goes on to support Obama's plan to end tax breaks for companies that outsource their jobs overseas. "I'm proud to support Barack Obama, because whether you live in a small town or a big city, it's time for a change," Mellencamp says to end the minute-long spot.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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