Monday's Poetry: "The Real Life"

by Pa Rock

Poetry Appreciator

Today's posting will be my final reflection on John Mellencamp's current nationwide tour which I had to good fortune to see in Kansas City two weeks ago.  (I promise!). During Mellencamp's quiet interlude in the early portion of the show, he talked about his friendship with Academy Award-winning actress, Joanne Woodward, the widow of the late, fellow acting legend Paul Newman.   Mellencamp related that several years ago he had suggested to Ms. Woodward that he would like to record her reciting the lyrics to some of his songs as acting monologues.   The actress chose a couple from the singer / songwriter's extensive catalogue  and committed them to recording tape.

Mellencamp chose one of those recordings for use on the tour, and he played it with accompaniment from two of the members of his band.   The song / monologue that Mellencamp chose to share was "The Real Life," and the rich voice of Joanne Woodward carried it with the force of an ocean swell to every nook, cranny, and corner of the elegant Midland Theatre.  It was a wonderful counterpoint to the loud and raucous show.

The Real Life

by John Mellencamp

Suzanne divorced her husband
She got the keys to the car and the home
But her friends were really his friends
No one stops by to see her much anymore
So one night she goes back down to the old haunts
That once upon a time were her own
She didn't know nobody out there no more
And the whole experience just made her feel so old
She says
 
I want to live the real life
I want to live my life close to the bone
Just because I'm middle-aged that don't mean
I want to sit around my house and watch T.V
I want the real life
I want to live the real life
 
Jackson Jackson was a good kid
He had four years of college and a bachelor's degree
Started workin' when he was 21
Got fed up and quit when he was 43
He said, "My whole life
I've done what I'm supposed to do
Now I'd like to maybe do something for myself
And just as soon as I figure out what that is
You can bet your life I'm gonna give it hell"
He says
 
I want to live the real life
I want to live my life close to the bone
Just because I'm middle-aged that don't mean
I want to sit around this house and watch T.V
I want the real life
I want to live the real life
 
I guess it don't matter how old you are
Or how old one lives to be
I guess it boils down to what we did with our lives
And how we deal with our own destinies
But something happens when you reach a certain age
Particularly to those ones that are young at heart
It's a lonely proposition when you realize
That's there's less days in front of the horse
Than riding in the back of this cart
I say
 
I want to live the real life
I want to live my life close to the bone
Just because I'm middle-aged that don't mean
I want to sit around this house and watch T.V
I want the real life
 
I want to live the real life
I want to live my life close to the bone
I want to live the real life
I want to sit around my house and watch T.V
I want the real life
I want to live the real life
I want the real life
 
I want to live the real life
I want to live my life close to the bone
I want to live the real life
I want to to live my life close to the bone