John Mellencamp Takes a Knee During Performance of Politically Charged 'Easy Target' on 'Colbert'

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

John Mellencamp paid a visit to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Thursday night to perform a slowed-down rendition of his fiery, politically charged record "Easy Target." The record came from Mellencamp's spring 2017 effort Sad Clowns & Hillbillies.

With the stage lights dimmed and a faint American flag appearing behind the band, the song opened up with an incredibly somber piano melody backed by deep bass chords. An equally solemn violin blended with the keys as Mellencamp's rugged voice breathed life into the record. "Behind the bars, they keep us apart/ Easy targets, this countries' broken heart," he sang.

Matching the mood of the record, the crowning moment of the performance came when Mellencamp made a powerful statement and took a knee as he sang his last words.

The veteran rocker doubled down on his motion of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the NFL players protesting during the national anthem by throwing a fist in the air as he hung his head under the gleaming stage lights.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/john-mellencamp-takes-a-knee-during-performance-of-politically-charged-easy-target-on-colbert/ar-BBICHXp?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp

[Ohiogal]

2. Mellencamp is also an artist

Who expresses scenes of social injustice in many of his paintings. Saw his one man show here a couple years ago.

[Cha]

3. Mahalo, John!

[samplegirl]

4. Good to read this

I think there is so much for musicians to write and sing about in these times surprised more are not doing so. Thanks John makes me want to buy your CD. We all need to Kick this thread!!!

[GReedDiamond]

5. I remember when he was known as "Johnny Cougar"...

...then John Cougar Mellencamp until he got around to dropping the "Cougar" entirely.

When I left Chicago for Los Angeles in 1976, I sat next to some guy on the plane who was apparently Johnny Cougar's manager or some such thing, because he kept talking about some singer called "Johnny Cougar," who I had never heard of until that moment.

Anyway, that performance on Colbert was good, very moving.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. I worked with a guy who said he had worked with him for a brief time

This was around 1979 I was told this. I was in what was then called the telephony business now it's more broadband.

Didn't give it much thought till I read in some article that John Cougar now Mellancamp was for short time a telephone installer.