Ain’t This a Top Ten: Ain’t Even Done With the Night (#2)

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Ah, the change of seasons. As that meme says, the weather went from 80 to 45 like it saw a state trooper. While I pack away the shorts for vacation in Florida I’ll give you the penultimate song with “ain’t” in the title. Here’s someone you know…and a song you probably don’t. #2: Ain’t Even Done With the Night - John Cougar I always like to quote Weird Al’s April Fools Day MTV “guest VJ” appearance when he said, in a spoof of the “MTV News,” that John Cougar, who’d recently (1983) changed his stage name to “John Cougar Mellencamp,” would be adding a name with each subsequent album. “His next album will be as John Cougar Mellencamp Schwartz,” Weird Al said. Mellencamp is his name; however, record company execs didn’t think that was a “sexy rock” name. His first two albums were released as “Johnny Cougar,” then he went to “John Cougar.” With 1983’s Uh-Huh he added his given surname; then, with 1987’s the Lonesome Jubilee, went strictly to “John Mellencamp.” At this point, I think about poor JJ, who alphabetizes his albums by artist name (as most audiophiles do). Half his album collection is in “Cougar” and half in “Mellencamp”! Well, this came from his fourth album (a “Cougar” album, if you’re keeping track). It was a top 20 song, but you probably don’t remember it. In fact, you’re probably lucky if you hear his first hit, “I Need a Lover” anymore. That’s sad, because he had some good songs in those days. This particular song is my favorite Johnny/John Cougar/Cougar Mellencamp/Mellencamp song. I love the 50s vibe in it. Not to mention that you can probably listen to it quicker than you can get through the list of his stage names! Ain’t Even Done With the Night Written by John Mellencamp Recorded by John Cougar From Nothin’ Matters and What If It Did, 1980 And Sam Cooke’s singing on the radio: