Songoftheday - When I was a young boy , they said put away those young boy ways...

John Cougar (Mellencamp) - "Hurts So Good"

from the album American Fool (1982)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (four weeks)

weeks in the top-40: 22

Today's Song of the Day is by Indiana's native son John "Cougar" Mellencamp. John was born in Seymour, in the southern, more rural part of the state 60 years ago (!). He was discovered in the mid-70's by British manager Tony DeFries (who also represented David Bowie), who convinced him to substitute the easier-to-say Cougar as a surname. After a couple of underperforming records, John moved on to Rod Stewart's agent Billy, who transferred him to England, where he would record his first top-40 hit, "I Need A Lover" (which would also be covered by Pat Benatar).

Two years later, Mellencamp would release American Fool, which gave him his first big single, "Hurts So Good". A simple roots-rock-ish bar band type of number, the song spent a month in the runner-up spot on the pop chart, and four months in the top-10. He wrote it with childhood friend George Green, and recorded in L.A.

"Hurts So Good" would also hit #1 on the rock chart for a week, and go on to win his only Grammy so far for Best Male Rock Performance. His follow-up, "Jack And Diane" would go on to be his first and only #1, and with the clout earned from the success of American Fool, John was able to add the Mellencamp on to his name for his next record, and drop the "Cougar"as he entered the 1990s.

Country star Kenny Chesney brought "Hurts So Good" out of the mothballs on tour with Gretchen Wilson...

Up tomorrow: the first of the "Starr" bands have a huge, round R&B hit.