Just Like You

Album: Cuttin' Heads (2001)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • John Mellencamp was working on his Cuttin' Heads album when his best friend, Billboard editor Tim White, died suddenly. "It took all the wind out of my sails," he recalled. "This song was written after Tim's death. I was pretty unhappy, and I was trying to make myself feel better."
  • Mellencamp's music in the 21st Century often examines our place in the world through the lens of our mortality. "Just Like You" is a look at how we're affected by everything that inevitably goes wrong in life. On his dark days, he's reminded of what makes life worth living when something "unbelievably beautiful, just like you" comes along. While the song was inspired by the death of his dear friend, it would be appropriate for a romantic interest or relative as well - Mellencamp's music is malleable like that.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")Songwriter Interviews

A top country songwriter, Barry talks about writing hits for Little Big Town, Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean.

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.

Alice Cooper

Alice CooperFact or Fiction

How well do you know this shock-rock harbinger who's been publicly executed hundreds of times?