I'm new to this s forum, but have been reading King's books for decades. As a child of the 80's, familiar with pop music, and King's history of working it into his stories, I was surprised to see Morris refer to John Mellencamp on pp 90 of Finders Keepers. This was strange enough to make me actually find out when "I Need a Lover", sung by another prisoner, was released by John COUGAR. Turns out it didn't hit the US until 1979. So what? You say. If SK didn't have a collaborative working relationship with John Mellencamp, it would be easier to gloss over. Perhaps it is just a small professional courtesy to use his preferred name over his old stage name, despite the time frame.
John Mellencamp in 1978?
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I haven't read Finders Keepers yet, so don't know the context of the quote.
I haven't read Finders Keepers yet, so don't know the context of the quote.
....it was first released on his LP "A Biography" in 1978 out of the states, became a hit in Australia and because of that, was re-packaged on his 1979 self-titled follow-up album-and that doesn't rule out airplay I '78-considering that was my first year as a Disc jockey and Announcer, and I was spinning it-it's possible that it was heard, just not in mass release till later....Mellencamp confessed in a 2005 interview: "That (name) was put on me by some manager. I went to New York and everybody said, 'You sound like a hillbilly.' And I said, 'Well, I am.' So that's where he came up with that name. I was totally unaware of it until it showed up on the album jacket. When I objected to it, he said, 'Well, either you're going to go for it, or we’re not going to put the record out.' So that was what I had to do... but I thought the name was pretty silly."....so I "say" all of that to say this-yeah, given their working relationship AND that it's his given name, not to mention John's sucky personality-it was probably done as a small courtesy.....
I found out the same release info you cited. I think it's taking a few liberties, (there's airplay, and there's enough airplay to get you sung in a jail) but if the goal was to get a John reference in the book, that would explain it all.
...I pulled mine from memory, years of radio trivia and Billboard...I just pulled his quote from Wiki....
Smack dab in the middle of reading Finders Keepers and I think the explanation is pretty much what's covered by GntlGnt. King would have used the Mellencamp surname as a courtesy, on account of JM's ornery nature. Also, totally not related to the OP's question: JM is my favourite musical artist, equalled only by Bruce Springsteen. Says a hell of a lot about the appeal of their songwriting/music that a kid from the Caribbean can namecheck those two as his favourite musicians.
Just listened to and replying to my own my post from back when.
I agree with myself again. So there ya go.
err.
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It's out in PB! I saw it at the store yesterday--quite a nice cover
Thanks for telling me. Hey, speaking of covers, I was on Amazon yesterday and noticed King had about a dozen new covers (mass market pbk, tall).It's out in PB! I saw it at the store yesterday--quite a nice cover
Not the primitive covers in trade format, these were really cool. I saw Needful Things, Cujo, Thinner, Christine, Desperation, and many others. I wondered why no one had created a thread. I tried to copy and paste images here but it's copyrighted. Thanks, again.
Yep, I think that's what these were. There was a row of King books with covers I'd never seen. The graphics department should be proud--all of them are lovely.
Start the thread! I just see the covers in my area. Wonder how this works, sorry if the question has been asked.
Ms. Mod or skimom2 would know.
I am sure they must be approved, by someone before release.
I had that John Cougar album. I could've sworn it was the late 70's when I purchased it. The whole album was excellent but I loved 'Taxi Dancer' most of all.